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Computers (Century Date Change)
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultation he has held with representatives of (a) other governments and (b) international bodies over computer millennium compliance. [17074]
Mr. Fatchett: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had no consultations with other governments or international bodies on computer millennium compliance. Officials continue to discuss this issue in appropriate contacts with other governments.
European Union (International Agreements)
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Treaty of Amsterdam allows for the European Union to withdraw from international treaties and agreements. [17077]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
The Treaty of Amsterdam allows the Council, acting unanimously, to conclude international agreements under certain circumstances in the areas of the Common Foreign and Security Policy and Police and Judicial Co-operation in Criminal Matters. Implicitly, any decision subsequently to withdraw from such an agreement would similarly be taken by the Council acting unanimously. It would also be subject to the relevant rules of international law.
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Mr. Streeter:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Barcelona Euro-Mediterranean Process. [17083]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
The United Kingdom is committed to the Euro-Mediterranean Process, which provides for economic, political and social co-operation with the 12 Mediterranean partners. We support progress towards a Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade Area by 2010: the new wave of Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreements are the first step towards this goal. The Euro-Med partnership will be an important part of our EU Presidency: we hope to host a Euro-Med Capital Markets Conference in London in March, and a seminar on the human dimension of the partnership in May. We are discussing with EU partners the idea of holding a meeting of Foreign Ministers to give impetus to the relationship.
Mr. Streeter:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, if the European Union decided to refrain from taking any military action against Iraq, with the United Kingdom abstaining from that decision under Article 1 (10) (J.13) of the Amsterdam Treaty, the United Kingdom would be prevented by the provisions of that treaty from committing United Kingdom forces or otherwise acting in support of any military action taken against Iraq by the United States of America. [17256]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
The European Union does not take military action. The hypothetical scenario in the hon. Member's question could therefore not arise.
Mr. Streeter:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in relation to Article 1 (10) (J.13) of the Treaty of Amsterdam, whether, if a member state voted for the adoption of a foreign policy stance, requiring unanimity, but voted against a particular implementation of that policy requiring qualified majority voting, that member state would be precluded from taking unilateral action in a way contrary to the implementation agreed by qualified majority voting. [17258]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
Member States are bound by implementing decisions taken in accordance with Article J.13.2. If a Member State has difficulties with a proposed implementing decision, such that it would contemplate taking unilateral contrary action, it can prevent the adoption of the decision by invoking the "emergency brake" provisions in Article J.13.2 second paragraph.
Mr. Streeter:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in relation to Article 1 (10) (J.13) of the Treaty of Amsterdam, whether, if a member state abstained from a decision and the European Union apart from that state adopted a foreign policy and acted upon it, the abstaining member state is prevented from taking unilateral action in relation to that foreign policy. [17257]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
A Member State which abstains from a CFSP decision requiring unanimity is not prevented from taking unilateral action in relation to the policy concerned. But it is required to refrain from any action likely to conflict with or impede Union action
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based on that decision. Any Member State can block rather than abstain from a CFSP decision likely to conflict with its interests.
Mr. Streeter:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he is making at European Union level regarding the Fontainebleau rebate. [17082]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
The United Kingdom rebate is enshrined in the Own Resources Decision, which can be changed only with the agreement of the UK Government and following ratification by the UK Parliament. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer and I have repeatedly made it clear to our Community partners that we shall not agree any change to the rebate which results in a system less advantageous to the United Kingdom than the current arrangement. The rebate will remain fully justified given the size of our net contribution in relation to our relative prosperity.
Mr. Streeter:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made
24 Nov 1997 : Column: 404
of the legal effect of the references in the preamble to the new Article 117 set out in Article 2 (22) of the Treaty of Amsterdam to the European Social Charter of 18 October 1961 and the 1989 Community Charter of the Fundamental Social Rights of Workers. [17226]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
These references indicate a political attachment to the rights identified in the Charters, the provisions of which will not become justiciable before the European Court of Justice.
Mr. Streeter:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if repeated rejection of recommendations made under Article 128 of the treaty establishing the European Community will be judged to be a breach of the common concern principle; and if he will make a statement. [17289]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
Recommendations adopted under Article 128 (old Article 109q) of the Treaty establishing the European Community as amended by the Treaty of Amsterdam will have no binding force, and thus create no binding obligations on Member States. We fully endorse the principles set out in Article 125 (old Article 109n) which encourage the promotion of
24 Nov 1997 : Column: 405
Sir Brian Mawhinney:
To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his oral Answers of 12 November 1997, Official Report, columns 898-99, if he will list the names of those with whom he or his advisers have had meetings or discussions in No. 10 Downing Street on policy matters since 2 May who have also made donations or loans to the Labour Party of £5,000 or more in the past 12 months. [16727]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 19 November 1997]: No. When individuals or groups meet me or my advisers on Government policy, they are not asked whether they have provided funding to the Labour Party or any other party.
Mr. Garnier:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will extend the remit of Sir Patrick Neill's Committee to include the identifying of all those individuals and companies who have donated money to political parties in the years 1992 to 1997 inclusive, indicating the sums they donated. [16366]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 17 November 1997]: I have proposed that all Parties disclose to the Neill Committee--on a confidential basis--the names of donors and the amounts over £5,000 donated since 1992, so that the Committee can properly assess the current state of affairs of party funding and see how the system had been working in practice. The leader of the Liberal Democrats has agreed to this. I have urged the hon. and learned Gentlemen's party to do the same.
Mr. Maples:
To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his oral Answer of 12 November 1997, Official Report, column 898, when he first learned of the £1 million donation from Mr. Ecclestone. [16755]
The Prime Minister:
Before I became Prime Minister.
Mr. Yeo:
To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations he has received regarding planning policy towards supermarkets. [16876]
The Prime Minister:
I have received a variety of representations concerning planning policy. Our policy was set out in our Response to the Fourth Report of the Environment Select Commmittee on Shopping Centres. Our Response reaffirmed the policy set out in Policy guidance Note 6 (PPG6). This seeks to focus development, especially retail development, within existing town centres.
Mr. Yeo:
To ask the Prime Minister
The Prime Minister:
Along with other Ministerial colleagues, I was consulted on the Government's
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Response to the Fourth Report of the Environment Select Committee on Shopping Centres (Cmnd 3729). This Response reaffirmed the policy set out in Planning Policy Guidance Note 6 (PPG6), which seeks to focus development, especially retail development, within existing town centres.
"a skilled, trained and adaptable workforce and labour markets responsive to economic change".
what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Transport and the Regions regarding planning policy towards supermarkets. [16877]
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