---

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

Teachers (Vetting)

Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what measures her Department takes to ensure that grant-maintained and independent schools meet their statutory obligation to check list 99 before confirming appointments of teaching staff. [1367]

Mrs. Gillan: The Department's circulars 9/93 and 11/95, which were sent to all schools, remind schools that they have a legal obligation not to employ people on list 99 who are barred from working with children. The Department provides a service to grant-maintained and independent schools of checks against list 99 and criminal

31 Oct 1996 : Column: 222

background checks. Checks are also run by the Department when appointments are notified for the purpose of the teachers' superannuation scheme and on the annual survey of independent school staff.

LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

Privy Council

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Lord President of the Council what criteria are used to select individuals for membership of the Privy Council. [903]

Mr. Newton: Appointment to the Privy Council is an exercise of the prerogative. Appointments are made by Her Majesty the Queen on the advice of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister. A range of factors are taken into account. Those appointed mostly comprise Ministers, other parliamentarians and members of the judiciary.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

Access to Justice

Mr. Sweeney: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has made for the implementation of Lord Woolf's final report on access to justice. [2184]

Mr. Streeter: I have today placed in the Library a copy of the Lord Chancellor's strategy for implementing Lord Woolf's recommendations. The strategy proposes that the major elements of the reforms, the fast track, the multi-track and the new costs regime, will be in place by October 1998. The new civil procedure rules to underpin these changes will also be in place in time for implementation.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Angola

Mr. Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implementation of the Lusaka protocol in Angola; and if he will make a statement. [1220]

Dr. Liam Fox: The implementation of the Lusaka protocol was reviewed by the United Nations Security Council on 11 October. We and other council members expressed deep concern at the lack of significant progress in implementing the peace process. Both parties, but especially UNITA, were urged to fulfil their commitments to the Lusaka protocol. The United Nations Secretary-General will report further to the Security Council on 20 November.

Mr. Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the United Nations' plans for the future role of UNAVEM III, the United Nations Angola verification mission; and if he will make a statement. [1219]

Sir Nicholas Bonsor: The UN Secretary-General currently plans to begin reducing UNAVEM III military forces by the end of December 1996 in the expectation that the mission will be completed as planned by February

31 Oct 1996 : Column: 223

1997. Such an outcome will, however, depend on the willingness of the Angolan parties to honour their commitment to the peace process. The Secretary-General will submit detailed recommendations on the future role of the UN in Angola by 20 November 1996.

Rwanda and Zaire

Mr. Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the role of the Rwandan authorities with regard to the security situation in the great lakes region. [1215]

Dr. Liam Fox: The Rwandan Government earlier denied any involvement of their forces in the conflict in eastern Zaire. There has been sporadic shelling across the Zaire-Rwanda border, in response to which the Rwandan Government on 30 October announced that they had sent troops into Bukavu. We have urged the Rwandans to withdraw immediately.

Mr. Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the security situation in the great lakes region of Africa. [1213]

Dr. Fox: The security situation in the great lakes is complex. There are long-standing ethnic tensions in eastern Zaire between Zairean peoples and those of Rwandan origin, aggravated by the influx of Rwandan and Burundi refugees. Recent violent clashes result from a backlash by Zairean Tutsis against attacks by the Zairean armed forces and extremist Hutus. The Rwandan Foreign Minister assured my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development on 31 October that Rwandan forces who entered Zaire on 29 October have now withdrawn. Meanwhile, an insurgency by extremist Hutus continues in Burundi.

Mr. Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures the UN is taking to prevent the conflict in eastern Zaire spreading throughout the great lakes region. [1216]

Sir Nicholas Bonsor: The UN Secretary-General sent Assistant Secretary-General Ibrahima Fall on a good offices mission to Zaire to assess the situation. He has now appointed a special envoy to visit the region with a humanitarian-political-military team. A special representative will be appointed after the special envoy's mission.

Mr. Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has recently received regarding the security and humanitarian situation in Zaire; and if he will make a statement. [1212]

Dr. Fox: My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed the security and humanitarian situation with the Zairean Prime Minister on 22 October. My right hon. and noble Friend Baroness Chalker met the Rwandan Foreign Minister on 31 October. We are urging restraint and dialogue to resolve the situation. We remain in close touch with other regional Governments, with UN and EU partners, as well as with the humanitarian agencies and non-governmental organisations involved. Aid agencies believe there are sufficient stocks available in the region to meet immediate needs.

Mr. Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign

31 Oct 1996 : Column: 224

and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has participated in recently (a) in the UN and (b) within the EU concerning the situation in Zaire. [1214]

Dr. Fox: The General Affairs Council discussed Zaire on 28 October and issued a statement calling for an immediate ceasefire and urgent dialogue to resolve the crisis in eastern Zaire. The Un Security Council conducts regular discussions on the situation there.

Mr. Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response the Government have made to the UN Secretary-General's call for an emergency mission to go to Zaire. [1217]

Sir Nicholas Bonsor: The UK has expressed its support in the Security Council for an emergency mission to go to Zaire.

Albania

Mr. David Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress in negotiations with the Albanian Government regarding an outstanding claim for compensation arising from the Corfu incident and the return of the Albanian gold. [849]

Sir Nicholas Bonsor: The Secretary-General of the tripartite gold commission met in London on 29 October with representatives of the Government of Albania to conclude the transfer of gold from the tripartite gold commission to Albania. At the same time, the Government of Albania settled the British Government's claim for compensation for the Corfu channel incident.

Human Rights

Ms Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures his Department is taking to prevent human rights abuses against Christians in Egypt. [1098]

Mr. Hanley: The violence some Egyptian Christians have suffered at the hands of Islamic extremists is a cause for concern. The Egyptian authorities are trying to suppress such violence. Our embassy in Cairo is following developments closely.

Ms Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures his Department is taking to prevent human rights abuses in China. [1096]

Mr. Hanley: We remain deeply concerned about the human rights situation in China. We regularly express our concerns to the Chinese authorities, both bilaterally and in conjunction with our European Union partners. We shall continue to use our bilateral exchanges, for example on legal reform, to promote a more enlightened approach by the Chinese authorities.

Copex Fair (Indonesian Representatives)

Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if representatives of the Indonesian Government will be present at the contingency and operational procurement exhibition--COPEX--fair in Esher, on 5, 6 and 7 November. [420]

31 Oct 1996 : Column: 225

Mr. Hanley: The Copex trade fair is a private event. We do not know whether any representatives of the Indonesian Government will attend it.

---