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Albania

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list each planned visit (a) by British Ministers to Albania and (b) by Albanian Ministers to the United Kingdom. [18475]

Mr. Fatchett: There will be an opportunity for substantial discussion at Ministerial level when the Albanian Prime Minister, Fatos Nano, visits Britain from 14 to 17 December. We intend to continue regular Ministerial contacts but no dates have been fixed either for visits by British Ministers to Albania or further visits by Albanian Ministers to the UK.

Immigration

Mr. Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when a decision will be made on the visa application by Abdul Rehman, Islamabad High Commission ref. IMM/E2002. [18832]

Mr. Fatchett: We have asked our High Commission in Islamabad to provide a detailed account of the position. My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs will write to the hon. Member within one week of receiving that account.

EU Agreements

Mr. Howard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the precedents for bilateral agreements between an EU member state and the EU Presidency being concluded after the hearings at a summit. [18671]

Mr. Doug Henderson: At negotiations such as the IGC, it is not unusual for the Presidency to reach tentative understandings with a Member State on how to handle a point of key concern to them. But such understandings would normally be considered subsequently by the full meeting.

Mr. Howard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral statement on 25 November 1997, Official Report, column 754, when he was first informed of the bilateral agreement between Spain and the Dutch Presidency. [18669]

Mr. Doug Henderson: We first learned of the change to the text when we received a revised Treaty text after the Amsterdam summit on 19 June.

Mr. Howard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his oral statement

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of 25 November 1997, Official Report, column 754, when the bilateral agreement between Spain and the Dutch Presidency of the EU was concluded. [18668]

Mr. Doug Henderson: We believe that the text reflected discussions in the margins of the Amsterdam European Council on 16-17 June.

Mr. Howard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if another EU member state can block the UK acceding to the Schengen Acquis. [18672]

Mr. Doug Henderson: Unanimity is required where the UK and Ireland apply to take part in a measure within the existing Schengen Acquis. The Declaration on Article 4 of the Protocol, integrating the Schengen Acquis, makes provision for the Council to seek the opinion of the Commission before it decides on a request from the UK or Ireland to take part in some or all of the provisions of the Schengen Acquis. Other Member States also undertake to make their best efforts to allow the UK or Ireland to participate. The UK cannot be blocked from opting into proposals and initiatives which build upon the Schengen Acquis.

Mr. Howard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his oral statement of 25 November 1997, Official Report, column 754, what representations he made to the Presidency of the European Union about the bilateral agreement between Spain and the Dutch Presidency; and when. [18670]

Mr. Doug Henderson: The UK made a number of representations on this matter at Ministerial and official level.

Council of Europe

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he proposes to take in response to Recommendation 1335 (1997) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. [18366]

Mr. Foulkes: I have been asked to reply.

We are closely monitoring the situation of displaced persons in the Transcaucasus. United Kingdom assistance has concentrated on promoting livelihood security through strengthened co-ordination of humanitarian aid, improved targeting of vulnerable groups and stronger dissemination of international humanitarian law. The Department for International Development has also funded quick impact income generation projects as well as relief items. The total value of UK humanitarian aid since the beginning of 1996 has exceeded £4.3 million.

A UK assessment mission to the Transcaucasian countries is due within the next couple of months and Recommendation 1335 of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will be taken into consideration when drawing up our strategy.

European Voluntary Service For Young People

Mr. Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with national youth organisations in the United Kingdom over the European Voluntary Service for Young People as set out in Com (97) 347; what his Department's policy is in respect of Article 1(2) as modified by the European

2 Dec 1997 : Column: 124

Parliament; to what extent personal security will be taken into account as concerns article 2(1a); what is entailed in the reference to analysis and dissemination of data in article 5.3(2); and if he will make a statement. [18094]

Dr. Howells: I have been asked to reply.

I attended the European Council of Youth Ministers in Luxembourg on 28 October, at which a common position was reached on the Commission's draft proposal for a European Voluntary Service for Young People, subject to a UK Parliamentary Scrutiny Reserve. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hemsworth (Mr. Trickett) on 19 November, Official Report, column 186.

The Commission's proposal states specifically that the activities undertaken by young people under this programme will no way replace potential or existing paid jobs; the other points of detail raised will be addressed with other Member States when the precise arrangements for the Programme are being discussed over the next few months.

The Government are committed to seeing this programme under way as early as possible. The Government agree with Article 1(2) of the draft proposal.

Officers of the Department have had general discussions with the British Youth Council about this programme, and we will draw on our experience of the pilot phase in determining the exact arrangements for the new EVS Programme.

Arms Export Licences (Indonesia)

Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arms have been licensed for export to Indonesia since 1 May; which arms have been denied such a licence; and on what grounds. [16076]

Mrs. Beckett: I have been asked to reply.

The Export Control Organisation's computer databases have been interrogated and the following results obtained.

Between 2 May and 13 November, decisions were taken on 27 applications for standard or open individual licences to export to Indonesia goods controlled under entries in Part III of Schedule I to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 (the so-called "Military List"). The entry in the relevant legislation under which the export of goods is controlled is known as their rating.

Decisions on applications for standard individual export licences during the period

Rating	Number of licences granted covering goods with this rating	Number of applications refused covering goods with this rating
ML1	0	2
ML4	2	0
ML5	1	0
ML6	0	1
ML7	1	0
ML10	5	0
ML11	11	0
ML13	1	0
ML14	1	1
Total	22	4

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Decisions on applications for open individual export licences (OIELs) during the period

Rating	Number of licences granted covering goods with this rating	Number of applications refused covering goods with this rating
ML13	(6)1	0

(6) This OIEL was issued for the export to any destination, including Indonesia, of certain goods for use by specified persons working in the media.

However, this information should be considered in light of the answer given on 30 October 1997, Official Report, columns 256-58, by my hon. Friend the Minister for Small Firms, Trade and Industry to my

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hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint).

In addition to the above, goods on the Military List may have been exported to Indonesia during the period concerned under the following Open General Export Licences (OGELs): OGEL (technology for military goods), OGEL (military surplus vehicles), OGEL (export after repair: military goods) and OGEL (export after exhibition: military goods). I am arranging for copies of all current OGELs to be placed in the Library of the House.

The decision to refuse the applications listed above were made after careful consideration of each case against the criteria announced to the House by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on 28 July 1997, Official Report, columns 26-29.

2 Dec 1997 : Column: 127

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