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Staff

Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list for his Department (a) how many people in total are employed,

18 Dec 1996 : Column: 672

(b) how many of the total number of staff are (i) male and (ii) female and (c) how many (I) men and (II) women are employed on a (1) full-time and (2) part-time basis. [9488]

Mr. Hanley: As of 1 April 1996, the Department was employing the following:

	Number
Total employees	7,200
Male	4,571
Female	2,629
Male full time	4,545
Female full time	2,483
Male part time	26
Female part time	146

These figures are for permanent staff only.

Mr. Hain: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) permanent and (b) non-permanent staff there have been in (i) his Department and (ii) executive agencies of his Department in each year since 1992. [9625]

Mr. Hanley: The answer is as follows:

	FCO (DIP.WING + ODA)	Wilton Park (agency) (since 1991)	Natural Resources Institute (agency)
1996
Permanent	6,863	30	307
Non-permanent	97	0	16
1995
Permanent	7,106	32	386
Non-permanent	99	0	27
1994
Permanent	7,511	32	421
Non-permanent	81	0	14
1993
Permanent	7,798	28	441
Non-permanent	61	0	38
1992
Permanent	7,933	28	469
Non-permanent	54	0	29

EU Committee of the Regions

Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will support an extension of the list of areas about which the EU Committee of the Regions should be consulted. [9403]

Mr. David Davis: The Committee of the Regions is already consulted on a wide range of issues and is able to produce opinions on its own initiative on any other matters it considers appropriate. The Government do not believe that there is a need to expand its present role.

Legislation

Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many items of legislation relating to his Department have been repealed

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since January 1994; how many statutory instruments were introduced during the same period; and how many of the latter were (a) deregulatory and (b) fee orders. [9361]

Sir Nicholas Bonsor [holding answer 17 December 1996]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given yesterday by my hon. Friend the Paymaster General, Official Report, column 492.

European Council (Business)

Mr. Jacques Arnold: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union for January; and if he will list the major EU events for the next six months. [9865]

Mr. David Davis:

Monthly Forecast of Business for January 1997

The following Councils are scheduled:

January 7: Fisheries Council

January 20: General Affairs Council

January 20: Agriculture Council

January 21: General Affairs Council

January 21 Agriculture Council

January 27: ECOFIN Council

January 31: Transport Council (Informal)

The following subjects are likely to be discussed:

January 7: Fisheries Council

This Council will take place only if the December Council fails to agree on the following item:

Total allowable catches and quotas.

January 20-21: General Affairs Council

Agenda not yet available.

January 20-21: Agriculture Council

Identification and registration of bovine animals (possible item).

Durum wheat (possible item).

Honey (possible item).

Flax (possible item).

BSE (possible item).

Veterinary and phytosanitary equivalence agreement (possible item).

January 27: ECOFIN Council

Presentation of the Dutch presidency programme work

Programme of the Commission.

Structured dialogue with Ministers from central and eastern European countries and the Baltics.

Follow-up to the Dublin European Council:

Preparation of stage 3 of economic and monetary union;

Employment.

Sound and efficient Management--2000 (possible item).

Macrofinancial assistance to Ukraine (possible item).

Georgia, Armenia and Tadjikstan (possible item).

Renewal of European Investment bank lending envelopes (possible item).

Taxation (possible item).

Appointment of EC Jury for coin competition (possible item).

Other Business:

Lunch: With Minister of Finance of the CEECs and the Baltics;

Coffee: Briefing on intergovernmental conference

January 31: Transport Council (informal)

No formal agenda.

18 Dec 1996 : Column: 674

European Calendar: December 1996-May 1997

This calendar is primarily concerned with European Union matters, but certain other relevant events are also included. Events and dates quoted are based on the information available on the date of issue.

	Venue	Event
January 1997
1		Dutch presidency begins
7	Brussels	Fisheries Council
9-10	The Hague	Political Committee
13-17	Strasbourg	European Parliament Plenary
20-21	Brussels	General Affairs Council
20-21	Brussels	Agriculture Council
23-25	Amsterdam	Conference on Social Policy
27	Brussels	ECOFIN Council (t.b.c.)
29-30	Brussels	European Parliament Plenary
30-31	The Hague	Opening of "European Year Against Racism"
31	Amsterdam	Transport Council (Informal)
February 1997
1	Amsterdam	Transport Council (Informal)
1-2	The Hague	Economic Affairs Council (Informal)
5-6	Noordwijk	Justice and Home Affairs Council (Informal)
6	Brussels	Political Committee
17	Brussels	Political Committee
17	Brussels	ECOFIN Council
17	Qatar	EU/GCC Conference
17-18	Brussels	Agriculture Council
17-21	Strasbourg	European Parliament Plenary
24-25	Brussels	General Affairs Council
26	Brussels	EU/San Jose Conference
28	Amsterdam	Development Council (Informal)
March 1997
1-2	Amsterdam	Development Council (Informal)
3	Amsterdam	Education Council (Informal)
3-4	Brussels	Environment Council
6	Brussels	Telecommunications Council
10	Brussels	Internal Market Council
10-14	Strasbourg	European Parliament Plenary
11-12	Brussels	Transport Council
13	Brussels	Political Committee
14-15	Rotterdam	Social Affairs Council (Informal)
15-16	Apeldoorn	Gymnich (Informal)
17	Brussels	ECOFIN Council
17-19	Brussels	Agriculture Council
18-19	Brussels	Justice and Home Affairs Council
24-25	Brussels	General Affairs Council
25	Rome	Informal IGC Ministerial
April 1997
4-6	Noordwijk	ECOFIN Council (Informal)
6-8	Maastricht	Culture Council (Informal)
7-8	Noordwijk	EU/Rio Group
7-10	Strasbourg	European Parliament Plenary
9-11	The Hague	Social Integration Conference
10	Brussels	Political Committee
10	Luxembourg	Consumer Council
14-15	Luxembourg	Fisheries Council
17	Luxembourg	Social Affairs Council
17-18	Maastricht	Ministerial Conference on EC aid to African, Caribbean and Pacific Countries post-Lome IV
18-20	Amsterdam	Environment Council (Informal)
21-22	The Netherlands	Political Committee
21-22	Luxembourg	Agriculture Council
23	Brussels	European Parliament Plenary
24	Luxembourg	Industry Council
24-25	Luxembourg	African, Caribbean and Pacific Countries/EU Ministerial Conference
25	Brussels	European Parliament Plenary
29-30	Luxembourg	General Affairs Council
May 1997
5	Brussels	General Affairs Council (t.b.c.)
6-7	Strasbourg	Council of Europe Ministerial
12	Brussels	ECOFIN Council
12-13	Brussels	Agriculture Council
12-13	Paris	WEU Ministerial
12-16	Strasbourg	European Parliament Plenary
14-15	Brussels	Research Council
15	Brussels	Political Committee
20	Brussels	Internal Market Council
22	Brussels	Political Committee
25-27	Middelburg	Agriculture Council (Informal)
26	Brussels	Energy Council
27-28	Brussels	Justice and Home Affairs Council
28-29	Brussels	European Parliament Plenary
29	Brussels	Telecommunications Council
June 1997
2-3	Luxembourg	General Affairs Council
5	Luxembourg	Health Council
5	Luxembourg	Development Council
8-10	Noordwijk	Environmental Planning Conference
9	Luxembourg	ECOFIN Council
9-10	Luxembourg	Agriculture Council
9-13	Strasbourg	European Parliament Plenary
10	Luxembourg	General Affairs Council (t.b.c.)
12	Luxembourg	Social Affairs Council
16-17	Amsterdam	European Council
17-18	Luxembourg	Transport Council
19	Brussels	Political Committee
19	Luxembourg	Fisheries Council
23	Luxembourg	ECOFIN Council (t.b.c.)
23-24	Luxembourg	Environment Council
25-26	Brussels	European Parliament Plenary
26	Luxembourg	Education Council
30	Luxembourg	General Affairs Council
30	Luxembourg	Culture Council

18 Dec 1996 : Column: 675

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