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Ponsonby Rule
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell), of 13 February 1998, Official Report, column 406, on the Ponsonby rule, if he will provide the same information for those treaties laid before Parliament since 1 February. [43300]
Mr. Tony Lloyd [holding answer 2 June 1998]: A total of 9 treaties subject to the Ponsonby Rule have been laid before Parliament since 1 February 1998. They are listed. The last day of the 21 day period is indicated on the list. These treaties have all been laid with an Explanatory Memorandum (EM) bringing to the attention of Parliament the main features of the treaty with which it is laid.
- Protocol to the agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Republic of South Africa for the promotion and protection of investments.
- Publication reference--South Africa No. 1 (1998) Cm 3857
- EM No. 21
- Presented to Parliament--11 February 1998
- Last date of 21 day period--13 March 1998
- The European Charter of Local Self-Government
- Publication reference--Miscellaneous No. 1 (1998) Cm 3884
- EM No. 22
- Presented to Parliament--2 March 1998
- Last date of 21 day period--31 March 1998
- Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago concerning mutual assistance in relation to crime
- Publication reference--Trinidad and Tobago No. 1 (1998) Cm 3900
- EM No. 24
- Presented to Parliament--27 March 1998
- Last date of 21 day period--7 May 1998
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- Protocol to the agreement on cooperation and customs union between the European Economic Community and the Republic of San Marino consequent upon the accession of the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Finland and the Kingdom of Sweden to the European Union with Final Act
- Publication reference--European Communities No. 1 (1998) Cm 3899
- EM No. 23
- Presented to Parliament--3 April 1998
- Last date of 21 day period--14 May 1998
- Protocol to the North Atlantic Treaty on the accession of the Republic of Poland
- Publication reference--Miscellaneous No. 2 (1998) Cm 3929
- EM No. 25
- Presented to Parliament--7 April 1998
- Last date of 21 day period--18 May 1998
- Protocol to the North Atlantic Treaty on the accession of the Czech Republic
- Publication reference--Miscellaneous No. 3 (1998) Cm 3930
- EM No. 26
- Presented to Parliament--7 April 1998
- Last date of 21 day period--18 May 1998
- Protocol to the North Atlantic Treaty on the accession of the Republic of Hungary
- Publication reference--Miscellaneous No. 4 (1998) Cm 3931
- EM No. 27
- Presented to Parliament--7 April 1998
- Last date of 21 day period--18 May 1998
- Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Kingdom of Belgium relating to the transmission of natural gas through a pipeline between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Kingdom of Belgium
- Publication reference--Belgium No. 1 (1998) Cm 3943
- EM No. 28
- Presented to Parliament--29 April 1998
- Last date of 21 day period--9 June 1998
- Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of Japan for cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy
- Publication reference--Japan No. 1 (1998) Cm 3948
- EM No. 29
- Presented to Parliament--8 May 1998
- Last date of 21 day period--18 June 1998.
Iran
Jane Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on the export of arms to Iran. [44492]
Mr. Fatchett: There has not been any change to current policy, as set out in the answer given by the Minister for State, my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd), to my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Mr. King) on 28 January 1998, Official Report, columns 273-74. We will not approve licences for any equipment where there is knowledge or reason to suspect that it would go to a military end-user to be used for military purposes.
However, this department has recently approved the issue by the Department of Trade and Industry of a licence for the export of industrial gas turbine parts to Iran for civil end use. This particular industrial engine has been
3 Jun 1998 : Column: 246
developed from a military engine and is commonly used to drive pumps and electrical generators. The engine is not subject to export control when it is exported as a complete unit. However, when it is broken down into component form, a very small percentage of its parts are unchanged from their original form and, as military components, come within the scope of the UK's arms embargo and are controlled under Part III of Schedule 1 to the Exports of Goods (Control) Order 1994. However, we are satisfied that Iran does not possess any aircraft powered by the original military engine, and that the risk of the components being diverted to use by the Iranian military is minimal. We have therefore approved the export.
Jane Griffiths:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment Her Majesty's Government have made of the Hong Kong legislative elections held on 24 May. [44493]
Mr. Fatchett:
We welcome the fact that these elections have been held. The high turn-out demonstrates the determination of people in Hong Kong to play a full role in the democratic process. While we retain strong concerns about the framework for the elections, particularly the sharp reduction in the franchise for the functional constituencies, we believe that the conduct of the elections reflects well on the HKSAR Government and the independent Electoral Affairs Commission, which ensured strict adherence to the rules and fair treatment for all candidates.
These elections are a step towards a legislature elected entirely through universal suffrage. We hope that the HKSAR Government will build on this achievement and work towards early realisation of this goal.
Jane Griffiths:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what new exceptions there have been to the arms embargo on Argentina. [44494]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
We have recently granted two exceptions to the embargo, one in respect of the sale of two hunting rifle barrels to a private individual in Argentina, another in respect of the sale of twenty deactivated weapons to an Argentine importer. These represent exceptions but not changes to the embargo.
Jane Griffiths:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what restrictions apply with respect to arms sales to China other than those general criteria announced on 28 July 1997. [44495]
Mr. Fatchett:
The EU introduced a ban on arms sales to China on 26 June 1989, but the scope of that ban has, in the absence of agreement on a common interpretation, been left for national interpretation. The UK interprets this ban to include:
3 Jun 1998 : Column: 247
All applications are considered case by case in the light of these criteria as the overall criteria governing defence exports announced by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on 28 July 1997, Official Report, columns 26-29.
Dr. Marek:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to change the Governor of St. Helena. [44059]
Mr. Fatchett:
We expect the next Governor of St. Helena to take up his or her appointment in 1999, when the present Governor's tour of duty is due to end.
Dr. Marek:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs under what terms and conditions (a) the BBC and (b) the United States of America operate on Ascension. [44060]
Mr. Fatchett:
The BBC, which runs a World Service relay station on Ascension, and other organisations on Ascension operate there on the basis that they meet the costs of the Administration and the cost of providing common services. They do this by means of an annual contribution to the common services budget prepared by Ascension Islands Services JV, the main supplier of common services. The BBC is the joint owner, with Cable and Wireless, of Ascension Island Services.
lethal weapons such as machine guns, large calibre weapons, bombs, torpedoes, rockets and missiles; specially designed components of the above, and ammunition;
military aircraft and helicopters, vessels of war, armoured fighting vehicles and other such weapons platforms;
any equipment which might be used for internal repression.
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