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Kenya
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Prime Minister when he plans to visit Kenya. [4876]
The Prime Minister: I have no immediate plans to visit Kenya. However, I hope very much that the President of Kenya, His Excellency hon. Daniel arap Moi, will be able to come to Britain in October for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
Roisin McAliskey
Mr. Peter Bottomley: To ask the Prime Minister if he will ask (a) the United Kingdom authorities and (b) the German embassy to review the article on page 4 of Tribune, a copy of which has been sent to him, with particular reference to the evidential issues raised therein. [5010]
The Prime Minister:
No. The German request for Roisin McAliskey's extradition is currently before the United Kingdom courts. It is for them to consider whether she should be committed to await a decision on surrender by the Secretary of State for the Home Department, who retains discretion under the Extradition Act 1989 over the final decision on her return. Roisin McAliskey will have the opportunity to make representations to the Secretary of State against her return. As in all other extradition cases, it is for the courts of the requesting State to judge the evidence once an order for return has been made.
26 Jun 1997 : Column: 611
Mr. Peter Bottomley:
To ask the Prime Minister if guidance on procedure for Ministers gives advice or instructions on acknowledging and appropriately dealing with answers that miss the point or make unjustified allegations. [3926]
The Prime Minister:
The resolution on Ministerial accountability adopted by the House on 19 March 1997 says: "It is of paramount importance that Ministers give accurate and truthful information to Parliament, correcting any inadvertent error at the earliest opportunity." I expect all members of the Government to act in accordance with the Resolution.
Mr. Skinner:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the membership of all the task forces and new groups that have been set up since 16 June; and who will be representing race and ethnic minority interests on those groups. [5374]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 25 June 1997]:
We have set up the following task forces and new groups since 16 June:
26 Jun 1997 : Column: 612
with this principle and on the basis that their abilities, experience and qualities match the needs of the bodies in question. No individual has been appointed to represent a specific interest.
Mr. Hawkins:
To ask the Prime Minister how many (i) meetings and (ii) telephone conversations he has had since 2 May with the Minister without Portfolio. [5415]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 25 June 1997]: Several.
Mr. Hawkins:
To ask the Prime Minister what responsibility the Minister without Portfolio has for (a) the Government's policy on freedom of information and (b) its policy towards the media. [5422]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 25 June 1997]: My hon. Friend contributes to collective consideration of issues relating to freedom of information, and is responsible for assisting me and other ministerial colleagues in implementing and presenting government policy.
Mr. Hawkins:
To ask the Prime Minister what responsibility he has given to the Minister without Portfolio for the Government Information Service. [5423]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 25 June 1997]: My hon. Friend and other ministerial colleagues work closely with members of the Government Information Service on the presentation of Government policy.
Mr. Hawkins:
To ask the Prime Minister which ministerial committees are attended by the Minister without Portfolio. [5425]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 25 June 1997]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney (Mr. Rowlands) on 9 June, Official Report, columns 302-10.
Mr. Hawkins:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on the practice of spin-doctoring by Government press officers; and what instructions he has issued in respect of the use of this practice. [5427]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 25 June 1997]: The work of the Government Information Service is governed by conventions published in its "Working Guide for Government Information Officers", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received in relation to Lockerbie from (a) Dr. Jim Swire of the British relatives, (b) Peter Anderson of Simpson Marwick and Company, acting on behalf of Pan Am and (c) David Fieldhouse, former police surgeon of Bradford. [5071]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 23 June 1997]: We have received representations from Dr. Swire and a number of other Lockerbie relatives, but none from Mr. Anderson and Dr. Fieldhouse.
26 Jun 1997 : Column: 613
Mr. Hawkins:
To ask the Prime Minister what proposals he has to extend the scope of the interests which have to be declared by Government Ministers and their special advisers. [5418]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 25 June 1997]: Ministers and their special advisers are already under a comprehensive duty to ensure that no conflict arises, or appears to arise, between their public duties and any of their private interests.
Mr. Hawkins:
To ask the Prime Minister what safeguards exist to ensure that campaign activity and propaganda on behalf of a political party, and persons appointed for those purposes, are not paid for from public funds. [5419]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 25 June 1997]: The rules on Ministerial conduct requires Ministers not to use public resources for party purposes. Civil servants are also under a duty under the terms of the Civil Service Code to ensure the proper, effective and efficient use of public money.
Mr. Winnick:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the setting up of the commission on low pay. [4089]
Mr. Ian McCartney:
We are pressing ahead with the setting up of the Low Pay Commission. Professor George Bain was appointed on 2 June to chair the Commission and advertisements seeking suitable applicants for the Commissioners are appearing in the press this week. The Commission is expected to start work in the summer.
Mr. Barron:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade when she expects to receive the Coal Authority's second report on the administration of the coal mining subsidence damage repair and compensation scheme.[6057]
Mr. Battle:
I have now received this report from the Coal Authority and have arranged for copies to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses today.
Mr. Ronnie Campbell:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the external financing limit for the Post Office for 1997-98. [6056]
Mrs. Beckett:
The negative external financing limit (EFL) for the Post Office for 1997-98 has been reduced from -£330 million to -£313 million. This reflects the fact that the Post Office over-achieved its EFL for 1996-97 by £17 million, and in accordance with the existing arrangements an over-achievement of up to £30 million of one year's EFL can be matched by a corresponding reduction in the following year's figure.
26 Jun 1997 : Column: 614
All public appointments are governed by the overriding principle of selection based on merit. Members of the task force and review groups have been selected in accordance
Task Force on Youth Justice
Chairman
Mr. Norman Warner, Senior Policy Adviser, Home Office
Mr. William Atkinson, Headmaster, Phoenix High School,
Shepherds Bush
Mr. Jonathan Black, Magistrates Clerk, Hampshire
Ms Catherine Bowker, Youth Court Prosecutor, Brighton
Mr. Tony Butler, Chief Constable, Gloucestershire
Mr. Paul Cavadino, Penal Affairs Consortium
Ms Anne Fuller, Lay Magistrate, Inner London
Mr. Cedric Fullwood, Chief Probation Officer, Manchester
Mr. Ian Johnston, Assistant Commissioner, Metropolitan
Police
Mr. David Norgrove, Marks and Spencer Plc
Ms Denise Platt, Local Government Association
Ms Teresa Reynolds, Victim Support
Ms Joan Webster, Chief Superintendent, Gwent
Mr. Geoffrey Wicks, Stipendiary Magistrate, Inner London
Mr. Andrew Williamson, Director of Social Services
Mr. John Lyon, Home Office
Mr. Tom Luce, Department of Health
Ms Jenny Rowe, Lord Chancellor's Department.
Independent advisory panel to review London's health services
Chairman
Sir Leslie Turnberg, President of the Royal College of
Physicians
Francine Bates, Assistant Director, Carers National
Association
Professor Ian Cameron, Provost and Vice-Chancellor of
University of Wales, College of Medicine
Professor Brian Jarman, Professor of General Practice,
Imperial College/St. Mary's
Ms Denise Platt, Head of Social Services, Local
Government Association.
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