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Al Shifa Factory, Khartoum
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he received from the Ambassador to the Sudan following his visit to the Al Shifa factory prior to the US air strike. [67643]
Mr. Fatchett: The British Ambassador has visited the Al Shifa factory only once, for the official opening in July 1997. There was no reporting following this ceremonial occasion.
Senator Pinochet
Mr. Howard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the basis for his oral statement of 19 January 1999, Official Report, column 705, that Senator Pinochet could not be permitted to return to Chile without the Government defying the courts and ending due legal process. [67311]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
The hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham (Mr. Loughton) asked whether it would not have been better to send Senator Pinochet to face due process in Chile. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's reply was on the basis that my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary issued an Authority to Proceed in respect of the Spanish request and that this has been passed to Bow Street Magistrates court to consider
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committal. Issues relating to state immunity are currently being heard by the House of Lords. Due legal process is being followed.
Mr. Trend:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral answer of 19 January 1999, Official Report, column 701, if he will indicate the location in the Official Report of the answer to which he referred. [67633]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
I am pleased to have this opportunity to set the record straight. I was incorrect in my belief that the answer was in the Official Report. I have written to the hon. Member to apologise for this inadvertent mistake.
Mr. Trend:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when his Department was first contacted by Scotland Yard concerning the question of the diplomatic immunity status of Senator Pinochet. [67625]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
The Metropolitan Police contacted the FCO about Senator Pinochet's diplomatic immunity on 16 October.
Mr. Trend:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department was asked for help by the Chilean Embassy in London in arranging a flight to Santiago for Senator Pinochet in the week beginning 12 October 1998. [67634]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
The Chilean Ambassador telephoned the FCO on 15 October to discuss Senator Pinochet's travel arrangements. FCO officials referred the Ambassador to British Airways. On 16 October, the Ambassador informed the FCO that he had secured a seat for Senator Pinochet on the British Airways flight leaving for Santiago on 20 October.
Mr. Trend:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department received from the Chilean Embassy on 16 October 1998. [67631]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
The Chilean Ambassador telephoned the FCO on 16 October to follow up a conversation the previous day about Senator Pinochet's travel arrangements. The Ambassador informed officials that he had secured a seat for Senator Pinochet on a British Airways flight leaving for Santiago on 20 October.
Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 20 January 1999, Official Report, column 508, for what reasons Mr. Penfold did not use the communication facilities at the German Embassy to communicate with London. [67626]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
Whilst Mr. Penfold was in Conakry he received a number of classified telegrams via the German Embassy. He did not use these facilities for sending reports to London. He has said it was not necessary. A commercial fax facility was available at his hotel and allowed him to communicate with London directly.
Dr. Marek:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of
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18 January, Official Report, column 347, on St. Helena, if he will state the reason for Mr. Timmreck being the subject of an exclusion order by the Governor of St. Helena; and what right of appeal is available to him. [67353]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
The then Chief Secretary of the Government of St. Helena gave full reasons for the exclusion order to Mr. Timmreck in a letter dated 4 March 1994. If Mr. Timmreck's permission were obtained by the hon. Member for Wrexham, I would arrange for him to receive a copy of the letter.
I understand that Mr. Timmreck has applied to the Governor for the exclusion order to be revoked. This was considered. Mr. Timmreck was asked for more information which he has not yet furnished.
Mr. Gill:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to provide St. Helena with landing facilities for aircraft. [67118]
Clare Short:
I have been asked to reply.
In 1998 we agreed to fund a preliminary desk study into the technical feasibility of an airlink to St. Helena. The final report is due by Easter. If this is positive, we will fund a broader feasibility study of the engineering, economic financial and social considerations.
Mr. Soames:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations with Iran. [67276]
Mr. Fatchett:
The New York agreement of September 1998 has allowed a welcome improvement in relations between the United Kingdom and Iran. We will continue to look for ways of strengthening relations further in areas of mutual interest while also pressing, with our EU partners, for improvements in Iranian policies which give us particular concern.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure that the laws on homosexuals in dependent territories will be changed. [67569]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
Homosexual acts remain an offence in the five Caribbean Overseas Territories. We have pointed out to the Governments of these Territories that their legislation must comply with the international obligations which Britain has extended to them, and that, in the absence of local reforms in this area, we may have to impose appropriate legislation by Order in Council.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK overseas territories have brought their law on human rights in line with that of the UK since May 1997. [67566]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
There are three human rights issues on which the laws of some of the UK's Overseas Territories differ substantively from those of the UK; capital punishment for murder (though only in Bermuda), judicial corporal punishment, and the law relating to homosexual acts. Since May 1997 three Overseas
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Territories have abolished judicial corporal punishment. No other human rights legislation has been enacted in the Overseas Territories since May 1997.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to publish the White Paper on Dependent Territories. [67565]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
We expect that the White Paper will be published shortly. Preparation for the Paper has involved wide ranging consultation on a broad range of subjects. It has been a complex process now drawing to a close.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what instructions he has given to UK diplomatic posts abroad regarding the promotion of tobacco products. [67568]
Mr. Fatchett:
Following last month's White Paper, this Department is preparing guidelines for posts.
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Mr. Trend:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the forthcoming business in the Council of the EU for the period until 31 March and the major EU meetings for the period until the end of the German presidency. [67620]
Ms Quin:
I refer the hon. Member to the European Calendar: January-June 1999, which was deposited in the Libraries of the House on 14 January 1999.
Sir Richard Body:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what conclusions he has reached from his consideration of the Neill Committee's recommendations on the conduct of referendums, with particular reference to the distribution of European Community funds. [66144]
Mr. George Howarth:
I have been asked to reply.
The Government will announce their conclusions on these issues when they publish a draft Bill, to implement the main findings of the Neill report, before the summer recess.
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