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Coral Reefs

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action the Government have taken since his oral statement in the Adjournment debate on 1 July 1998, Official Report, columns 324-30, to protect coral reefs. [65477]

Mr. Foulkes: I have been asked to reply.

Since the Adjournment debate on 1 July, we have maintained our effort to conserve coral reefs, monitor their status and help to achieve their sustainable use.

The Department for International Development (DFID) has further extended its support for the creation of a South Asia Regional Coral Reef Monitoring Network in Sri Lanka, Maldives and India, being a contribution to the global network sponsored by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). The programme has trained national managers to monitor the biophysical status of reef resources and the use of these resources by dependent coastal communities. DFID has also supported their participation in regional and international planning processes. An independent review in September 1998 concluded that the DFID/IOC programme has laid a very solid foundation for future development of the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network.

A UK/Caribbean Regional Workshop in Jamaica during October 1998, funded by FCO and DFID, attracted representatives from 22 Caribbean States to consider the conservation status of marine biodiversity in the Caribbean including threats to the coral reefs of the region. The results of this Caribbean meeting were reported to the Second London Oceans Workshop sponsored by Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR), attended by delegations from 40 countries, at which the keynote address by the Deputy Prime Minister focused on

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the central role of coral reefs as indicators of the health of the oceans, and on the need to take action to protect both reefs and other sensitive marine ecosystems.

During December 1998, DFID approved funding of £0.6 million to extend for a further three year period the programme implemented by the International Centre for Living Aquatic Resources Management (ICLARM) studying the social, economic and environmental benefits which have arisen from the protection of coral reefs in Jamaica and in British Virgin Islands.

DFID has also approved new support for the Coastal Resources Management Project providing advice to the Government of Turks and Caicos Islands for the protection and management of a marine protected area including some spectacular coral reefs, and the development of local capacity and infrastructure to ensure that this is a long sustained process.

The UK's ratification of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance has been extended to the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) and this came into force on 8 January 1999. BIOT is now preparing to put forward for listing as a Ramsar site an area of the Chagos Archipelago which includes a number of globally outstanding coral reefs.

Child Labour

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the countries with which she is having discussions regarding use of child labour. [66651]

Clare Short: Our work on child labour currently involves the following countries:

India

Pakistan

Bangladesh

Nepal

Thailand

Cambodia

Laos

Vietnam

China

Kenya

South Africa

Tanzania

Zambia

Zimbabwe.

In addition, we are supporting the UK-based Ethical Trading Initiative, which aims to investigate ways of dealing with labour issues in supermarket and other supply chains. We have also contributed $1 million to the International Labour Organisation's International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour which has over 50 participating countries. In July last year, with the aim of engaging workers organisations, we staged a child labour workshop at which unions and NGOs from the south and the north could exchange ideas.

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PRIME MINISTER

Prisoners of War (Japan)

Mr. Winnick: To ask the Prime Minister when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a reply to his letter of 7 December regarding former prisoners of war of the Japanese. [66583]

The Prime Minister [holding answer 19 January 1999]: I replied to my hon. Friend on 22 January.

Joint Cabinet Consultative Committee

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister what invitations have been extended to political parties other than the Liberal Democrats to develop policy jointly with the Government using the JCCC mechanism. [66879]

The Prime Minister [holding answer 21 January 1999]: None.

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the membership of the JCCC. [67688]

The Prime Minister: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Midlothian (Mr. Clarke) on 21 October 1998, Official Report, columns 1123-35.

Sudan

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will assess the report from the Monterey Institute of International Studies in relation to the reported opposition by the US Attorney-General to the bombing of the Al Shifa plant in Sudan. [67644]

The Prime Minister: As I said at the time of the strike against Al Shifa, the United States said that they had compelling evidence that the chemical plant was being used for the manufacture of chemical weapons materials.

It is not for me to comment on what this study claims to be the reported opinions of the US Attorney-General.

Iraq

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 18 January 1999, Official Report, column 342, what proposals have been made by the Russians to find a way forward in respect of Iraq. [67348]

The Prime Minister: The Russians have circulated a paper informally among Security Council members, proposing a number of ideas on how the Council might wish to proceed in dealing with Iraq's continued failure to meet its obligations under Security Council resolutions, particularly on its weapons of mass destruction programmes. The Russians have not yet made these ideas public. These and French proposals tabled earlier will be discussed further in the Security Council in the near future.

Economic and Monetary Union

Mr. Soames: To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish a White Paper on the constitutional implications for Great Britain of joining the economic and monetary union. [67277]

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The Prime Minister: In his statement to the House of Commons on 27 October 1997, Official Report, columns 583-88, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer set out clearly the Government's view of the constitutional implications of joining the single currency.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Overseas Companies (Funding)

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much Government funding has been given to overseas companies in the last 10 years for the establishment of factories in the United Kingdom that have closed in the first three years of operation or never opened. [66026]

Mr. Wills [holding answer 18 January 1999]: Comprehensive information on total Government funding given to foreign owned companies and the number of associated factory closures is not held centrally. To provide such information would involve disproportionate cost.

However, for Regional Selective Assistance (RSA), the DTI's main investment grant scheme, available data show that, in the last 10 years, over 300 foreign owned companies accepted offers of RSA for new start-up projects in GB. Grant payments to these companies amounted to £227 million. Within three years of accepting offers, two of these companies were subject to legal process and a further six companies were invoiced for full recovery of grant paid because the RSA projects were abandoned. A total of £1.5 million grant was involved of which £150k has been recovered to date. The recoveries do not include possible action to recover grant paid in the case of Siemens.

Departmental Assistance

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what financial assistance the Government have provided to small businesses to assist them in preparing for (a) the euro and (b) the millennium bug. [66024]

Mr. Wills [holding answer 18 January 1999]: The Government funded a major campaign to raise awareness among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) of the implications of the euro and encourage them to send for the Treasury's euro preparation factsheets. This campaign is also supported by a website and practical support for 12 regional euro forums, Business Links and other sources of advice for SMEs. No direct financial assistance to help firms prepare for the euro has, however, been made available.

My Department set up Action 2000 which has a budget of £19.3 million to lead the work on behalf of Government in ensuring that small businesses are aware of, and obtain help in, dealing with the millennium bug. Action 2000 is working regionally with Business Links and other business support organisations to deliver practical advice and guidance to SMEs, signposting local

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services and consultants. Since last June, there have been some 170,000 requests for the Action Pack published by Action 2000 and 150,000 calls to its Action Line.

The Government have made £26 million available to help small and medium enterprises train their staff to tackle the date change problem. Employers with 250 employees or fewer are eligible for 100 per cent. grants for sending existing staff or new recruits on short courses in skills related to dealing with the millennium bug. Courses are provided by the training organisations who have been accredited for the programme by the IT National Training Organisation.

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