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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Kenya
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations between and Kenya. [4875]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
We recognise the positive role which Kenya has played over the years as a force for regional stability. During my recent visit there between 25 and 28 June, I met President Moi and had talks with some of his Ministers, members of the Opposition, Church leaders and other representatives of Kenyan society. I made clear to all parties our hopes and expectation that the forthcoming elections will be free and fair and that they will be conducted in a peaceful environment. In this context, I stressed the importance of dialogue between the parties concerned.
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I also made clear our concern that certain democratic principles should be implemented in the approach to the elections, to make sure that they are free and fair. In particular, I called for elections where all those who want to vote can exercise their choice freely; where all those who want to stand have the opportunity to do so; where the electorate have access through the media to all the information needed to make a free choice; and where people can come together freely in support of their preferred candidates.
Mr. Keetch:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish his Department's submissions relating to freedom of information legislation. [6025]
Mr. Tony Lloyd
[holding reply 2 July 1997]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minster on 4 July, Official Report, column 293-94.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs will meet the hon. Member for Leicester, East to discuss visitors' visas.[6586]
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Mr. Fatchett:
My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs was not aware of the hon. Member's wish for a meeting to discuss visitors' visas. She will contact my hon. Friend to arrange a mutually convenient time for such a discussion.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many meetings the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs has had with hon. Members to discuss refusals of visitors' visas. [6585]
Mr. Fatchett:
There has been one such meeting.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the case of Mrs. S. U. Patel (R/92/3687). [6583]
Mr. Fatchett:
We have asked our Deputy High Commission in Bombay to provide a detailed account of the position. My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs will write to my hon. Friend within a week of receiving that account.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if a Minister from his Department will meet the hon. Member for Leicester, East to discuss the case of Kailashchandra Sukdev Roy (ref. R/97/962-Bombay); [6587]
Mr. Fatchett:
My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs will write to my hon. Friend about Mr. Roy's application within a week.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the Department of Education and Employment concerning the case of Kailashchandra Sukdev Roy (ref. R/97/962-Bombay). [6588]
Mr. Fatchett:
My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs will write to my hon. Friend about Mr. Roy's situation within a week.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the visa will be granted in the case of Jaswinder Kaurr (ref. ECR/474/95s-New Delhi). [6584]
Mr. Fatchett:
We have asked our high commission in New Delhi to provide a detailed account of the position. My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs will write to my hon. Friend within a week of receiving that account.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will review the decision of the entrance clearance offer in New Delhi concerning the case of Bhag Singh and Rattan Kaur (ref. IMM/ECR/2983/97/NS). [6590]
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Mr. Fatchett:
We have asked our high commission in New Delhi to provide a detailed account of the position. My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs will write to my hon. Friend within a week of receiving that account.
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the presidency of the inter-governmental conference of the European Union concerning the provisional pre-signature text of the draft Amsterdam treaty; by what procedures each item in the presidency draft was considered; if written copies of amendments were circulated prior to decisions on the amendments; and what period of notice for (a) verbal and (b) oral amendments was required by the conference. [6628]
Mr. Henderson:
Discussions on the draft Amsterdam treaty text are continuing in Brussels, both among the 15 member states, and bilaterally with the Presidency and former Presidency.
The terms of the Presidency text were discussed at the European Council at Amsterdam. In many cases written amendments were circulated. In others amendments were discussed orally by Heads of Government. There was no period of notice required by the conference.
Sir George Young:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his discussions with the Indonesian Foreign Minister in Hong Kong about defence sales. [6649]
Mr. Fatchett:
My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary held a wide-ranging meeting with Mr. Alatas during which he was able to explain the background to the review of criteria used in considering licence applications to export conventional arms that he announced to the House on 22 May. He pointed out that the review does not focus on particular countries.
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much the EU Commission is spending to promote the euro and emu (a) in Europe and (b) in the United Kingdom. [6851]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
In the 1997 EC Budget a total of 45 million ecu is provided in budget lines B3-306 and B0-40 for information activities in connection with specific policies, including the single currency. The Commission has provisionally allocated 23 million ecu of this money to a campaign to publicise the euro. None of this money will be present in the UK as the euro information campaign is not being pursued here.
Sir George Young:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will announce the timetable for the defence sales policy review. [6647]
7 Jul 1997 : Column: 331
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
The review of criteria used in considering licence applications for the export of conventional arms is being taken forward as a matter of urgency. The new criteria will be made available to the House when the review is complete.
Sir George Young:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the criteria for arms sales and the countries affected by the defence sales policy review. [6646]
Mr. Lloyd:
As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary announced on 22 May, Official Report, column 294, we have initiated an urgent review of the detailed criteria used in considering licence applications for the export of conventional arms. The new criteria will be made available to the House when the review is complete. As we have made clear repeatedly, the review is looking at criteria to be used for all destinations and does not focus on particular countries.
Dr. Marek:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 30 June, Official Report, column 18, if the Gibraltar Government were consulted before Her Majesty's Government made its decisions at the Amsterdam summit regarding the Schengen arrangements. [7058]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
The Chief Minister was briefed in London before the summit.
Dr. Marek:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the obstacles to enfranchisement of Gibraltarians in elections to the European Parliament. [6991]
Mr. Henderson:
The 1976 EC Act on Direct Elections confines the franchise for European Parliament elections to the United Kingdom alone. The Act has treaty status. Any amendment would require the agreement of all Member States.
Dr. Marek:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals for developing Gibraltar airport have been evaluated by his Department. [6992]
Mr. Henderson:
We have not received any approaches on the development of the airport since 1995.
(2) if he will make a statement in the case of Sukdev Roy (ref. R/97/962-Bombay). [6624]
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