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Former Yugoslavia
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his estimate of the numbers of soldiers and civilians killed (i) in the attack by Bosnian troops on Serbian troops to the north and north west of Srebrenica and (ii) in the counter-attack by Serbian troops; how many soldiers were hiding their military identity by dressing in civilian clothing; and in what ways such casualties can be distinguished from Bosnians who it is alleged were illegally executed by Serbian troops. [40219]
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Sir Nicholas Bonsor: The International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia--ICTY--is still investigating the fall of Srebrenica last July. We await details. So far, ICTY teams have exhumed 400 to 500 bodies from four sites around Srebrenica.The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that there are 6,000 missing people from the area.
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reasons international warrants have not been issued against (a) President Tudjman of Croatia and (b) the leaders of the Bosnian Muslims. [40216]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor: it is for the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia to decide whom it should indict. We provide significant support for the tribunal's activities, and it has our full confidence.
Western Sahara
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he plans to take to ensure the UN-sponsored referendum on the future of the Western Sahara takes place. [40285]
Mr. Hanley: We are active both in New York and bilaterally in urging Morocco and Polisario to co-operate fully with the UN and MINURSO--in the referendum mission--in order that the identification process can be restarted and lead to the referendum.
I also took the opportunity during my visit to Morocco in June to make our views clear.
Nuclear Co-operation
Mr. Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy in respect of nuclear co-operation with Russia and China. [40248]
Dr. Liam Fox: In September we signed a bilateral agreement with the Russian Federation on co-operation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The agreement provides a framework within which firms can pursue business and expert exchanges. With our G8 colleagues, we attended the Moscow summit on nuclear safety and security. The summit underlined the close co-operation between Russia and the G7 in solving nuclear safety problems in eastern Europe and in the former Soviet Union. It also identified further action to be pursued. Russia has now ratified the international convention on nuclear safety, and signed the Vienna convention on nuclear liability.
China is becoming increasingly important in the civil nuclear power section. We are actively seeking to strengthen our civil nuclear co-operation with them at both official and industry levels. We welcome China's decision to attend the conference on nuclear safety in Asia, to be held in Tokyo on 5 and 6 November, which the United Kingdom will also attend.
Human Rights
Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department has a system for grading the human rights performances of individual countries. [40162]
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Sir Nicholas Bonsor: We do not maintain any league table of human rights violators, though we receive detailed information from our embassies and high commissions as well as from outside bodies, including non-governmental organisations, on the human rights performance of various countries.
Burma
Mrs. Fyfe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will estimate the value of the contribution made by British businesses to the economy in 1996 of Burma with particular reference to tourism; and if he will make a statement. [40136]
Mr. Hanley: The value of United Kingdom trade with Burma and of UK investment there is low. We are aware of only two UK companies which have made direct investment in the tourism industry in Burma. The amount of tourism-related goods and services exported from the UK is also small. More may be channelled through third countries, but it is difficult to estimate their value.
Entry Clearance
Mr. Madden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list for the last year for which figures are available (a) the total number of persons who applied for entry clearance as a visitor to the United Kingdom, (b) the total number of refusals and (c) the countries of origin of those who were refused giving the numbers against each. [40196]
Dr. Liam Fox: The total number of applications for entry clearance to visit the UK in 1995 was 1,167,295.
The total number of refusals for entry clearance to visit the UK in 1995 was 72,626.
The countries of origin of those refused are not currently available. Details will shortly be available from the Home Office's Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom 1995.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 21 May, Official Report, column 103, what contribution has been made by Her Majesty's ambassador in Quito towards the goat eradication scheme on the Galapagos. [40367]
Dr. Fox:
The British Ambassador in Quito donated £5,000 for the purchase of equipment required for the goat eradication programme. A contribution of £25,000 from an FCO fund for small environmental projects has also been approved to establish a base station for the programme and to protect threatened plant species, which form an important part of the tortoises' diet.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his letter of 13 May, in what ways he has kept up constructive pressure on Russia in relation to radioactive waste management. [40366]
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Dr. Fox:
Meetings of the International Atomic Energy Agency's contact expert group provide regular opportunities to discuss radioactive waste management issues. Both the UK and Russia are full members. The group, which also co-ordinates and monitors aid for nuclear waste management projects in Russia, met last on 10 and 11 September 1996.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his letter of 3 April, what action he has taken with the European Commission to counter contamination of Lake Kojanovskoe. [40370]
Dr. Fox:
We have yet to decide with our EU partners what concrete assistance might be made available to counter contamination of Lake Kojanovskoe pending consideration of the conclusions of the EU-financed study of contamination levels.
Mr. Rooker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a formal request to the UK partners on the tripartite gold commission to produce annual reports regarding meetings and expenses. [40650]
Mr. David Davis:
We will make a request. I shall write to the hon. Member with the results.
Mr. Rooker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date and in what form he last reported to Parliament on the work of the tripartite commission for the restitution of monetary gold; and if he will make a statement. [40649]
Mr. Davis:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the hon. Member for Morecambe and Lunesdale, the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on 12 March 1991, Official Report, column 433.
Probate Service
30. Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the future of the probate service. [37957]
Mr. Streeter: Public consultation on proposed changes to the structure of the probate service has now been concluded. The Lord Chancellor is considering the proposals and an announcement will be made as soon as a decision has been reached.
Legal Aid
32. Mr. Jacques Arnold: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the review of legal aid. [37959]
Mr. Streeter: The Lord Chancellor published a White Paper on 2 July, setting out the Government's plans for reforming the legal aid scheme in England and Wales. Since then, work has been proceeding on implementing the reforms.
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The Legal Aid Board published its plans for expanding block contracting of advice and assistance in the not-for-profit sector in August. It intends to publish proposals for piloting legal aid for family mediation in November, and on advice and assistance contracts with solicitors' firms in early 1997.
33. Mr. John Marshall:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what representations he has recently received about the cost of the legal aid scheme. [37960]
Mr. Streeter:
I frequently receive representations on this matter. As my hon. Friend knows, the Government's proposals for a radical reform of the legal aid scheme were announced by the Lord Chancellor on 2 July, and are contained in the White Paper, "Striking the Balance". These proposals will, among other things, improve control over the cost of legal aid and ensure that the taxpayer obtains good value for the money spent.
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