---

Arms Supplies (Rwanda and Zaire)

Mr. Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) when he first received reports alleging that British companies were arranging indirect arms transfers to (a) Hutu refugees or (b) other groups in Zaire; [5300]

(2) when he was first informed of allegations of arms sales to Rwanda or Zaire by British companies after April 1994; and what steps he took to investigate; [5301]

(3) when the Government first received reports of the possible involvement of Mil-Tec Corporation Ltd. in the export of armaments whose final destination was (a) Rwanda and (b) Zaire; and if he will make a statement. [5294]

Mr. David Davis: There were rumours in the press of arms shipments to Zaire in 1994. HM Customs informed this Department in early 1995 that they were investigating allegations that arms were being supplied to Rwanda or Zaire. They also investigated information received from the UN in September 1996. No evidence to support criminal proceedings was found. Recent allegations of arms supplies to Rwandan extremists by United Kingdom companies are being pursued. Her Majesty's Government continue to co-operate closely with the UN international commission of inquiry.

I cannot comment in detail on individual cases in these circumstances but would urge those with the relevant background to provide it to HM Customs to assist their investigation.

Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure that no British companies are involved in the supply of arms to the combatants in the current conflict in the great lakes region of Africa; and if he will make a statement. [5368]

Mr. Davis: Order in Council 1993 No. 1787 as amended by No. 1637 of 22 June 1994 provides that, except under licence, no person shall:

"(a) supply or deliver
(b) agree to supply or deliver
(c) do any act likely to promote the supply or delivery of prohibited goods to Rwanda, or to, or to the order of, a person connected with Rwanda, or to any destination for the purpose of delivery, directly or indirectly, to Rwanda, or to, or to the order of, any person connected with Rwanda."

21 Nov 1996 : Column: 642

This applies to any person within the UK and to any person elsewhere who is a British national or a company incorporated in the UK. This includes British citizens in the Isle of Man and Channel Islands. The Government will extend the legislation to cover, inter alia, companies there at the earliest opportunity.

As announced on 19 November 1996, the Government have tasked an interdepartmental committee to examine rigorously our procedures in relation to trafficking in arms and to determine whether there has been a gap in our controls and if so what action needs to be taken.

Official Residences

Mr. Hall: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the official residences owned by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in (a) Japan, (b) Korea, (c) Singapore, (d) Hong Kong, (e) Thailand and (f) Malaysia; and if he will indicate (1) the occasions when Cabinet Ministers on official visits to those countries have (i) used the official residence and (ii) used a residence other than the official residence since 1979 and (2) the cost involved. [4733]

Mr. Hanley [holding answer 20 November 1996]: The following official residences are owned:

Korea--Seoul
Singapore
Thailand--Bangkok
Malaysia--Kuala Lumpur

The residence in Tokyo is held on a long lease.

The remainder of the information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

Millennium Exhibition

Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what assessment was made by her Department, before awarding the millennium exhibition to Greenwich, of the impact on local traffic and travel facilities of (a) the construction phase and (b) the operation of the exhibition. [3705]

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley: The decision to hold the millennium exhibition at Greenwich was taken by the Millennium Commission. My Department had no role in the decision. I shall write to the hon. Member about the commission's assessment of the exhibition's impact on local traffic and travel facilities in my capacity as chairman of the commission and place copies of my reply in the Libraries of the House.

National Lottery

Ms Mowlam: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will list (a) the number of projects which have received funding from the national lottery since its inception and (b) the number of projects currently under consideration by the national lottery for funding in (i) England, (ii) Scotland and (iii) Wales. [3864]

21 Nov 1996 : Column: 643

Mr. Sproat: To date, the national lottery distributing bodies have awarded a total of £2,421,238,117 to 10,681 projects. Applications currently under consideration by the distributing bodies are as follows:

Name of distributing body	Number of applications under consideration
England
Sports Council for England	1,393
Arts Council for England	220
Millennium Commission	28
Heritage Lottery Fund	947
National Lottery Charities Board	7,222
Total	9,810
Scotland
Scottish Sports Council	487
Scottish Arts Council	129
Millennium Commission	1
Heritage Lottery Fund	116
National Lottery Charities Board	1,125
Total	1,858
Wales
Arts Council of Wales	208
Sports Council of Wales	194
Millennium Commission	0
Heritage Lottery Fund	87
National Lottery Charities Board	1,057
Total	1,546

Ms. Mowlam: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will list (a) the number of projects in Northern Ireland which have received funding from the proceeds of the national lottery since its inception and (b) the number of projects from Northern Ireland currently under consideration for funding by the national lottery. [3843]

Mr. Sproat: To date, the national lottery distributing bodies have awarded a total of £44,457,207 to 624 projects in Northern Ireland. Applications currently under consideration by the distributing bodies, in Northern Ireland, are as follows:

Northern Ireland

Name of distributing body	Number of applications under consideration
Arts Council of Northern Ireland	178
Sports Council for Northern Ireland	153
Millennium Commission	6
Heritage Lottery Fund	41
National Lottery Charities Board	324
Total	702

Ms Mowlam: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will list (a) the number of projects which have been given funding by the Millennium Commission and (b) the number of projects currently under consideration by the Millennium Commission, for (i) England, (ii) Scotland and (iii) Wales. [3845]

21 Nov 1996 : Column: 644

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley: This is a matter for the Millennium Commission. I shall write to the hon. Member in my capacity as chairman of the commission and place copies of my reply in the Libraries of the House.

"Sport: Raising the Game"

Mr. Mark Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will make a statement on the implementation of Government sports policies set down in the document, "Sport: Raising the Game". [3999]

Mr. Sproat: In July 1995 the Government set out in "Sport: Raising the Game", its strategy for revitalising British sport at all levels from primary schools to the Olympic podium. Our aim is to put sport at the heart of weekly life in every school, to ensure that sporting opportunities continue after school, to improve the way we identify and support talented athletes, and to create a British academy of sport as the pinnacle of regional network of centres of sporting excellence and academies for particular sports.

Last July, in "Sport: Raising the Game", the first year report, we provided a detailed update which showed that significant progress had been made on the 38 action points set out in the original sports policy statement. This included the publication of the prospectus inviting bids to establish the British academy of sport.

Since July, further progress has been made. The Sports Council's £1 million challenge fund, to encourage schools-sports club links, has been launched; secondary schools have been invited to apply for the sportsmark and sportsmark gold awards, which recognise those schools that have particularly good policies for sport; teachers have been invited to attend free courses to help them gain national governing body of sport awards; and, on 14 November, the Sports Council launched its world class performance programme to provide support to our most talented athletes competing up to olympic and world championship level.

Hampstead Garden Suburb

Mr. John Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when she expects to decide upon the proposal to list further houses in Hampstead Garden Suburb. [3970]

Mr. Sproat: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will announce her decision shortly.

---