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Written Answers to Questions
Monday 16 June 1997
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
EU Development Council
Mr. Dennis Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the outcome of the European Union Development Council Meeting on 5 June. [4140]
Clare Short: Ministers held further discussions on the future of EC trade and development relations with the African, Caribbean and Pacific States. The Council adopted two Resolutions. The first establishes mechanisms to improve coherence between development and other EC policies. The second sets out plans to create a more coherent framework for research activities. The Council also adopted two sets of Conclusions, relating to co-ordination between the programmes of the Community and Member States and the needs of indigenous peoples. It also agreed a Common Position on a draft Regulation covering co-financing with Non-Governmental Organisations. Useful discussions were held on a number of other topics, including the 1996 DAC report on EC Development Assistance, preparations for the forthcoming United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) to review progress since the Rio Summit, and UN Reform. The Commission made presentations on two further topics: proposed Community involvement in the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative and Democratisation, Human Rights and the Rule of Law in the ACP states.
Environmental Policy
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to ensure opportunities for women to participate in environmental decision-making; and if she will make a statement. [3756]
Clare Short: I am making a speech on 26 June at the Commonwealth Institute which will outline our plans, for enhancing the participation of women in the decision-making process in all aspects of development.
Sustainable Development
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her Department's proposals relating to women and sustainable development for the Earth summit II. [3758]
Clare Short:
One of the messages the UK will be stressing at the Earth summit II is that environmental sustainability and the elimination of poverty go hand in hand. I firmly believe that empowering women is a major key to poverty reduction. My Department will be refocusing its efforts to support the aim of halving the proportion of people living in abject poverty by 2015.
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Ms Walley:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures her Department is taking to eliminate discrimination against women world-wide; and if she will make a statement. [3754]
Clare Short:
My Department already has a gender equality strategy which was redesigned in response to the Beijing Platform for Action. We will continue to assess and address inequalities between women and men as an integral part of all our development co-operation activities.
Ms Walley:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the funds allocated to promoting women's role in development for each of the next six years. [3757]
Clare Short:
There is no pre-set allocation of funds for any sector within the development co-operation programme. My Department's policy is to mainstream gender equality throughout all its activities and to carefully monitor progress.
Ms Walley:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the promotion and protection of the human rights of women and girls. [3753]
Clare Short:
My Department recognises that the rights of women and girls need special attention if human rights are to be secured in practise. Women's development and the education of girls, as well as human rights, will be major themes of the forthcoming Development White Paper.
Closed Circuit TV
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to regulate the use of footage obtained from CCTV cameras. [3392]
Mr. Michael: Most public space closed circuit television systems are already regulated by codes of practice as are any systems which receive financial assistance from the Home Office. We wish to encourage best practice but will be prepared to consider the arguments on the principle and practicalities of statutory regulation of CCTV to underpin the existing codes of practice.
Treason and Piracy
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what year was the last (a) prosecution and (b) conviction for (i) treason and (ii) piracy; and what was the penalty imposed. [3391]
Mr. Michael:
Statistical data held centrally by the Home Office show one prosecution in 1981 for treason under the Treason Acts 1351 to 1842. This resulted in a conviction carrying a five-year custodial sentence. A
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further four prosecutions have also been recorded (two in 1989, one in 1991 and one in 1992) but none resulted in a conviction.
In 1849 there were two prosecutions under the Piracy Act 1837. One resulted in a custodial sentence of between seven to 10 years. In 1894, five defendants were tried for piracy. All were acquitted.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to change the detention procedures relating to asylum seekers; and if he will make a statement. [3388]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
A general review of the Government's immigration detention policy is currently being undertaken.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his plans in respect of the white list. [3386]
Mr. O'Brien:
We are reviewing the provisions of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996, including those relating to designated countries of destination, and will consider the options for change that best meet our manifesto commitment to secure swift and fair asylum decisions.
Mr. Frank Cook:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements have been made to ensure that police stations at which firearms are surrendered in accordance with the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 comply with the health and safety requirements concerning the handling of explosive substances. [3594]
Mr. Michael:
The Police Service is fully aware of its obligations under the Health and Safety at Work etc., Act 1974. Police stations are not required to be licensed to store explosives, but forces have a general duty of care to ensure the health, safety and welfare of staff. The terms of the compensation scheme keep the need to store explosives for any length of time down to a minimum and forces have been offered guidance on the safe handling of surrendered firearms, ammunition and explosives. The Explosives Inspectorate Directorate and the Ministry of Defence will offer further guidance to police forces as necessary.
Mr. Chope:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give authority under section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968 to competitors from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in the Commonwealth Games 2002 to use pistols in their ownership which are lawfully held overseas so that they can participate in the games on equal terms with nationals from other countries. [3994]
Mr. Michael:
The Government appreciate the need for the planning of the games to take place well in advance and we intend to discuss the matter with all interested parties. It is too early to grant section 5 authority at this stage. However, all competitors from the United
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Kingdom, as elsewhere, will be eligible to be considered nearer the time.
Mr. Chope:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, (1) pursuant to his oral statement of 11 June, Official Report, column 1165, if he will publish the evidence which shows that nothing proposed in the Firearms (Amendment) Bill will put the holding of the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002 in jeopardy; [3990]
Mr. Michael:
The arrangements for holding the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002 are set out in a contract between Manchester city council and the Commonwealth Games Federation. The contract can be invalidated only if the host nation is unable to hold the games due to natural disaster or if the games are not properly organised.
The hosting of the Olympic Games and the inclusion or otherwise of particular events is a matter for the Olympic Committee to decide in discussion with prospective host nations. The provisions of section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968 can be used to allow shooting events to take place.
Mr. Chope:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library the correspondence which he has had with the organisers of the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002 in relation to pistol shooting competitions. [3992]
Mr. Michael:
The Home Office has not received any correspondence from the organisers of the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in relation to pistol shooting competitions, but the issue was dealt with fully in the debate in the House on 11 June 1997.
Mr. Chope:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a draft of the authority and the conditions attached thereto which he intends to grant under section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968 in respect of competitors in pistol shooting events at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002. [3988]
Mr. Michael:
No. Any authority to be issued to competitors for the pistol shooting events at the Commonwealth Games in 2002 under section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968 will be a matter for the Secretary of State. Under section 5(4) of the 1968 Act, the Secretary of State can attach any conditions which he considers necessary to ensure that public safety or the peace is not endangered. It is a matter for the Secretary of State to decide the appropriate drafting and conditions of any such authority after consultation with the Games organisers and, in the case of Manchester, with the Greater Manchester police.
Mr. Chope:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is his policy to outlaw the possession and use of black powder pistols. [3991]
Mr. Michael:
The term "black powder pistol" is not used in the Firearms Acts, but is synonymous with a muzzle-loading gun as defined in the Firearms
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(Amendment) Act 1997. The Government have no plans at present to prohibit the possession of such weapons. The Firearms (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, which is presently before Parliament, deals only with the prohibition of small-calibre pistols. However, we shall keep under close review all controls on firearms to ensure maximum public safety.
Mr. Chope:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many authorisations Home Secretaries have given under section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968 during the last five years to foreign nationals to enable them to participate in pistol shooting competitions in the United Kingdom. [3993]
Mr. Michael:
There have been no applications. Until the implementation of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997, pistols (other than fully automatic pistols) are not prohibited under section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968 and authority is not required. Foreign nationals can at present possess pistols on a visitor's firearm permit issued by the police force for the area which they were visiting.
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(2) pursuant to his statement of 11 June, Official Report, column 1165, if he will publish the evidence which shows that nothing proposed in the Firearms (Amendment) Bill will put in jeopardy the ability of the United Kingdom to host a future Olympic Games. [3989]
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