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Child Labour
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent discussions have taken place within the World Trade Organisation concerning the use of child labour within member countries. [19607]
Mr. Nelson [holding answer 12 March 1997]: The issue of abusive labour practices, including abuse of child labour, was discussed in the context of trade liberalisation objectives at the WTO ministerial conference in Singapore in December 1996. There is, however, no substantive work programme to eliminate abuse of child labour or current discussion taking place within WTO since, as it was agreed in Singapore, this is the proper preserve of the International Labour Organisation.
Unigate
Mr. Jamieson: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what industrial development grants (a) have been made and (b) are under consideration, and for what purposes, to Unigate for its St. Ivel operation in Liverpool. [20126]
Mr. John M. Taylor [holding answer 13 March 1997]: I cannot comment on discussion between individual companies and the Department, as they are commercially confidential.
Business Breakfast Tour
Mrs. Roche: To ask the President of the Board of Trade with whom he consulted as to the propriety of spending public money on the business breakfast tour; and if he will make a statement. [19247]
Mr. Lang [holding answer 10 March 1997]: The business breakfast initiative aims to develop a dialogue between Government and business at a local level. I took advice on this initiative from my accounting officer and other officials. I have been careful to ensure that all the breakfasts have been strictly confined to presentations of Government policy and providing business representatives the opportunity to express their views.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
EU Information Offices
Mr. Lamont: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 28 February, Official Report, column 425, if he will list the types of offices the EU has worldwide to disseminate information, indicating (a) the number of each type of office and (b) what each type costs in pounds sterling. [20061]
Mr. David Davis:
Except as noted below, European Commission offices in third countries take the form either of delegations, in countries outside the EU, or representations, in the member states. There are 128 delegations and 23 representations. Most of these 151 posts have some capacity for information activity, though the proportion of this activity to other elements of the posts' work varies, but only in Washington, New York and Tokyo do the delegations' information sections have the title information offices.
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In addition, there are 32 EU business centres in Asia and Latin America, whose purpose is to promote trade between the EU and the country concerned; and 250 Euro-Info correspondence centres in the European Economic Area, central and eastern Europe and the Mediterranean area, whose purpose is to act as a link between small and medium-size businesses in the EU and third countries. EBCs and EICCs are not freestanding offices, and are normally run as part of local trade promotion organisations such as chambers of commerce, with which they are generally co-located.
There is no figure readily available showing the disaggregated running costs of the Commission's information activities overseas, but in 1996 the total budget for the running costs of Commission delegations outside the EU was £152 million. Running costs for the four Commission representation offices in the UK were £1.3 million
I gave my right hon. Friend details of the overall budget for all EU information and communication activities in 1997 in my separate answer of 3 March, Official Report, column 484.
In Council discussions of the Commission's budget, we always underline the need for the utmost rigour in all expenditure, including information activity. In recent years, the Council has regularly reduced the relevant budget allocation, but the European Parliament has restored it.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is the Government's policy to hold a referendum before a major change in Britain's constitutional relationship with the European Union; and if he will make a statement. [20011]
Mr. David Davis:
We have made it clear that we would not accept in the current intergovernmental conference significant constitutional change that would justify a referendum.
However, as my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced on 3 April 1996, if the Government decided to apply to join a single European currency during the next Parliament, that decision would be subject to confirmation in a referendum.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on prisoner swaps between the United Kingdom and other countries. [20155]
Dr. Liam Fox:
We believe that, on humanitarian grounds, prisoners should be able to serve their sentences in their own country.
The UK is party to the Council of Europe convention on the transfer of sentenced persons and the Commonwealth scheme for the transfer of convicted offenders. In addition, we have bilateral agreements with Thailand and Egypt, and are working to conclude similar arrangements with other countries.
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Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has held with the families of Stephen Miles and Paul Loseby, currently detained in Venezuela. [20156]
Dr. Liam Fox:
The families of both men met Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials on 26 November, and Mr. Miles's father met embassy officials in Caracas on 28 November. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials are in close contact with the families.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken to secure the release of Stephen Miles and Paul Loseby, detained in Venezuela; what assessment he has made of the conditions in which they are detained; what representations he has (a) made and (b) received from the Venezuelan authorities on this matter, indicating the dates of all correspondence; and when he next expects to take measures to secure their release. [20189]
Dr. Fox:
The release of James Miles and Paul Loseby is a matter for the Venezuelan authorities.
Following written representations by the British ambassador on 19 November 1996, the two men are being held in La Vega police cells, where conditions are better than in the prison where they would otherwise be held.
That was the last correspondence we have sent to the Venezuelan authorities, from whom we have received no representations.
Mr. Gapes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with commercial organisations concerning the future of the overseas press service of the Central Office of Information. [20280]
Mr. Hanley:
This Department advertised the tender for the future provision of the overseas press service in the Official Journal of the European Communities on 16 August 1996. Eleven companies--all British--responded. Following evaluation, six were shortlisted and were visited for on-site presentations and discussions on how they proposed to provide the service if their bid was successful. Negotiations with the preferred bidder are close to finalisation.
Mr. Gapes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to privatise the overseas press service of the Central Office of Information. [20281]
Mr. Hanley:
This Department has been working towards privatisation of the overseas press service on 1 April 1997. Negotiations with the preferred bidder are close to finalisation.
Mr. Allason:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has
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received regarding British dependent territory citizenship from the Legislative Council of St. Helena. [20349]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor:
The Legislative Councillors of St. Helena have addressed a petition to my right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary on citizenship. We are considering with other Departments what might be done beyond existing arrangements to increase employment opportunities in the UK for St. Helenians. We are replying to the petition accordingly.
Dr. Marek:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the reasons for the Governor of St. Helena not renewing the residence permit of Mr. Mikael Olsson to enable him to extend his stay on St. Helena. [20427]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor:
Mr. Mikael Olsson was a visitor to St. Helena. He did not have a residence permit. After almost a year on the island, his leave to remain as a visitor expired on 8 March. This is a matter between Mr. Olsson and the immigration officer on St. Helena.
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