Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Mr. Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations his Department had with the United States State Department about the memorandum of agreement on co-operation concerning nuclear safety and security it signed with France on 4 June; and if he will make a statement. [40280]
Mr. Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has received from the US State Department a copy of the memorandum of agreement on co-operation concerning nuclear safety and security which France entered into with the United States on 4 June; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [40276]
Mr. Davis: No. Bilateral co-operation between the United States and France is a matter for the Governments concerned.
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the implications for the stipulations of articles (i) and (ii) of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty over the transfer of nuclear weapons and nuclear know-how of negotiations to increase the membership of NATO with eastern European states; and if he will make a statement. [40519]
Mr. David Davis: None. Articles I and II of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty do not prevent the stationing of nuclear weapons on the territory of non-nuclear weapon states, but the alliance made clear last year that there was no a priori requirement for the stationing of nuclear weapons on the territory of new members, and that the present NATO nuclear posture would for the foreseeable future continue to meet the requirements of an enlarged alliance.
Dr. Marek: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 20 June Official Report, column 566, relating to the dismissal of a teacher in St. Helena, if the notification was received from the Governor operating in his personal capacity. [40603]
15 Oct 1996 : Column: 872
Sir Nicholas Bonsor: The teacher in question resigned from her post. She was not dismissed. There is therefore no relevance in this case to the Governor's reserved powers.
Dr. Marek: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for how many days in 1996 the Governor of St. Helena has been resident on St. Helena. [40600]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor: During 1996, the Governor has been resident on St. Helena for the whole year except for 30 days spent travelling to and from St. Helena's dependencies on duty, and 76 days travelling to and from the UK for consultations in London and leave. St. Helena's Chief Secretary was appointed to administer the Government during the Governor's absences.
Dr. Marek: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the figure for unemployment in percentage term on St. Helena at 1 January 1996; what is the latest figure; if he will make a statement. [40601]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor: The percentage of people seeking full-time employment at the end of December 1995 was 15 per cent. of the on-island work force. The latest equivalent figure available--for August 1996--is 18 per cent. We are working with the St. Helena Government to develop the island's economy to create new employment opportunities and to alleviate the unemployment situation on St. Helena.
Mr. Wareing: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy in respect of the post of UN Secretary-General. [40562]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor: It is the Government's long-standing policy not to reveal their voting intentions for the election of the United Nations Secretary-General.
Mr. Wareing: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Croatian Government in respect of the murder of Private Simon Jeans serving with IFOR; if compensation is being claimed from Croatia; and if he will make a statement. [40555]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor: We have made clear our grave concern at the incident leading to the tragic death of Private Simon Jeans. The Croatian authorities have arrested and charged with manslaughter four people in connection with his death. They are due to appear in court in Croatia on 23 October. British IFOR commanders remain in very close contact with the Croatian authorities. It is for the family of Private Simon Jeans to consider claiming compensation once the outcome of the Croatian authorities' investigation is known. The broader question of UK criminal injuries compensation for service men and women killed in the former Yugoslavia is being examined by the Government.
15 Oct 1996 : Column: 873
Mr. Jacques Arnold: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the joint FCO-BBC World Service working group report on the implications for the future of the BBC World Service of the BBC's restructuring proposals. [40916]
Mr. Rifkind: The chairman of the BBC and I met on 14 October to consider the report of the joint FCO/BBC World Service working group. We have accepted its conclusions.
I am encouraged that the working group has agreed a series of 20 new proposals designed to ensure the continued protection of World Service interests and the maintenance of the special character, style, ethos and quality of World Service broadcasts.
The working group will reconvene in the autumn of 1997 to review the effects of the World Service of the implementation of the BBC's restructuring proposals to ensure that the new measures agreed by the working group are functioning satisfactorily and producing the desired results.
The Government remain committed to the success of the World Service, to the maintenance of the high quality of its output, and to its continued pre-eminence among international broadcasters.
I have placed copies of the full report of the working group in the Libraries of both Houses.
Next Section | Index | Home Page |