| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
South East Regional Crime Squad
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects reports to be made on the investigations into the conduct of the South East Regional Crime Squad. [30449]
Mr. Michael [holding answer 23 February 1998]: There is no current investigation into the conduct of the South East Regional Crime Squad (SERCS) as a whole. Individual SERCS officers may become the subject of complaint, allegation or report. In such circumstances, the Co-ordinator of SERCS would normally invite an appropriate police force within his region to conduct an investigation.
I have been advised that there are currently seven such inquiries being undertaken by the Metropolitan Police. These investigations are at different stages and their completion dates will depend on the particular circumstances of each case. Three of the seven were instigated by SERCS management. The inquiry which has received most publicity was set in motion after surveillance logs were found to be missing during a trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court. SERCS was inspected by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary during February 1997.
Official Hospitality
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his current estimate of the expenditure of his Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies on hospitality since 1 May 1997. [27800]
Mr. Fatchett [holding answer 5 February 1998]: Expenditure on official hospitality by the FCO, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies for the period 1 May 1997 to 31 December 1997 was as follows:
| FCO (£000) | Agencies (£) | NDPBs (£000) |
|---|---|---|
| 6,533 | 619 | 690 |
Consultants
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his estimate of the expenditure of his (a) Department, (b) agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies on external consultants in (i) 1995-96, (ii) 1996-97, (iii) 1997-98 to
25 Feb 1998 : Column: 238
date and (iv) 1997-98 full year; and if he will also estimate the cost savings resulting from the employment of such consultants for each of the above years. [26661]
Mr. Tony Lloyd
[holding answer 5 February 1998]: Spending on external consultants 1 by the FCO, its executive agency and non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs):
| £ million | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995-96 | 1996-97 | 1997-98 to date | 1997-98 | |
| FCO | 17.65 | 11.80 | 10.80 | 15.36 |
| Agency | -- | 0.06 | -- | -- |
| NDPBs(4) | 0.05 | 0.03 | 0.06 | 0.08 |
(3) As defined in the 1994 Efficiency Unit Scrutiny.
(4) Excludes the British Council, for whom figures could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The bulk of FCO consultancy spending is for technical expertise on capital projects and information technology, often for infrastructure projects, designed to promote overall efficiency. Where savings are achieved, the work of external consultants is only one factor to be taken into account. Quantified annual cost savings for such work are therefore not available.
Overseas Travel
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his estimate of the cost of Ministerial overseas travel in his Department in (a) 1995-96, (b) 1996-97 and (c) 1997-98 to date. [26666]
Mr. Fatchett [holding answer 5 February 1998]: The total cost of FCO Ministerial overseas travel, including attendance at international conferences, in 1995-96 and 1996-97 was as follows:
- 1995-96: £1,496,109
- 1996-97: £2,145,345.
1997-98 expenditure, as at 31 December 1997, stood at £1,185,507.
Holiday Insurance
Mr. Alasdair Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the need for travellers to purchase holiday insurance, with particular reference to activity holidays; what assessment he has made of the adequacy of holiday insurance packages sold with activity holidays; and if he will issue guidance to holidaymakers with regard to insurance packages for activity holidays. [28139]
Mr. Fatchett [holding answer 9 February 1998]: We have made no assessment of holiday insurance packages but strongly recommend in our consular publicity material that all travellers abroad take out adequate comprehensive insurance. It is essential that the cover includes medical evacuation, especially for activity holidays.
Overseas Visits (Advisers)
Mr. Flight:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 11 February 1998, Official Report, columns 248-49, if he will list the dates and destinations of the overseas visits undertaken by special advisers at public expense. [30286]
25 Feb 1998 : Column: 239
Mr. Robin Cook:
Since 1 May 1997, a Special Adviser has accompanied me and other FCO Ministers on the following overseas visits:
| Date | Destination |
|---|---|
| 1997 | |
| 7 May | France, Germany |
| 18-19 May | USA |
| 19-20 May | Netherlands |
| 5-6 June | Sweden |
| 16-17 June | Netherlands |
| 20-23 June | USA |
| 27 June-1 July | Hong Kong |
| 7-9 July | Spain |
| 28-30 July | Bosnia, Croatia |
| 28 July-3 August | Egypt, Occupied Territories, Israel |
| 21-25 September | USA |
| 7-8 October | Gibraltar |
| 20-21 November | Luxembourg, Switzerland |
| 25-28 November | Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland |
| 1998 | |
| 13-16 January | Israel, Occupied Territories |
| 14 January | France |
| 10-13 February | Oman, UAE, Egypt |
Iraq
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action Her Majesty's Government have taken to secure reparations from Iraq for Kuwait under United Nations Resolution 687. [30979]
Mr. Fatchett: The Government of Kuwait have made their own claims for reparations through the UN Compensation Commission in Geneva.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps Her Majesty's Government have taken in the last year in pressing for Saddam Hussein to be indicted as a war criminal. [30980]
Mr. Fatchett: We have on several occasions made clear our support for the INDICT campaign which calls for Saddam Hussein to be brought to account in an appropriate court.
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of (a) the volume of oil sold by Iraq since the introduction of UN sanctions, (b) the net price paid to Iraq and (c) the comparative free market price for oil. [30762]
Mr. Fatchett [holding answer 23 February 1998]: On 19 February, the UN estimated that, under UNSCR 986, 119.5 million barrels of oil had been sold, under UNSCR 111, 126.9 million barrels and under UNSCR 143, 38.9 million barrels.
The UN estimates the revenue from these sales at US$2.15 billion, US$2.125 billion and US$0.48 billion respectively.
Prices implied by these revenue figures are US$17.99, US$16.75 and US$12.34 respectively. The fall in prices is in line with the fall in oil prices generally over the period in question.
25 Feb 1998 : Column: 240
Mr. Duncan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the work the Government have commissioned on opinion research or focus groups concerning people's views on Iraq; what were the terms of reference; to whom each contract was awarded; what was the cost of each contract; and if he will publish in full the transcripts and conclusions of each piece of research. [30945]
Mr. Fatchett
[holding answer 23 February 1998]: We have not commissioned any survey concerning views on Iraq. We have, however, taken careful note of the results of opinion polls published in the UK press.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reasons other members of the (a) United Nations Security Council and (b) European Union Council of Ministers, who oppose a military attack on Iraq, have given to Her Majesty's Government for their opposition to such action. [30982]
Mr. Fatchett:
The agreement reached by the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, was the culmination of intensive diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis with Iraq. But as the Secretary General himself stated at his press conference in Baghdad, progress was achieved only because diplomatic efforts were backed up by the credible threat of military force.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |