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Badgers
Mrs. Organ: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he proposes to take in response to the recommendations of the Standing Committee of the Berne Convention on the badger culling trial. [68778]
Mr. Nick Brown: The badger is not an endangered species in this country. We give it statutory protection which goes well beyond what the Berne Convention requires. However tuberculosis is a serious disease of cattle (and humans and badgers). We have carried out a thorough scientific review and a wide public consultation. We have thus carefully explored the possible solutions for the effective control of bovine TB. We have suspended badger culling throughout most of Great Britain, but have reluctantly concluded that we must test its effectiveness as one part of a broad strategy, which includes vaccine research, as well as checks on other wildlife species for TB. We therefore intend to continue the trial and will explain to the Standing Committee why this action is fully consistent with the provisions of the Berne Convention.
Horse and Pony Exports
Mr. McDonnell: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans are being made to block the export of live horses and ponies to Ireland for subsequent export to Europe for slaughter. [67871]
Mr. Morley: Various rules are in force to protect the welfare of horses and ponies being transported from Great Britain. We attach importance to enforcing these rules, and would promptly investigate any hard evidence that they were being broken.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Travel Advice
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes to Foreign Office travel advice have been made since 20 December 1998. [66943]
Mr. Fatchett: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office issues Travel Advice notices on over 130 countries worldwide and updates them on a regular basis. Many of them have been updated since 20 December.
British Citizens (Overseas Prisons)
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British nationals are currently imprisoned overseas; and if he will provide a breakdown by country. [66946]
28 Jan 1999 : Column: 393
Mr. Fatchett:
The number of British nationals imprisoned overseas (as at 22 January 1999) is 2,266. A breakdown by country is as follows:
28 Jan 1999 : Column: 394
East Timor
Mr. Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to raise comments made by the Defence Attache to the Indonesian Embassy about the use of British military exports in East Timor with the Indonesian Government. [67603]
Mr. Fatchett: In July 1997, we introduced new criteria for the export of defence equipment. Since then we have not issued licences for the export of equipment where we judge that there is clearly identifiable risk that the equipment might be used for internal repression or international aggression.
Mr. Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he will take to ensure Indonesian compliance with UN resolutions on East Timor. [67575]
Mr. Fatchett:
We fully support the efforts of the UN Secretary-General in searching for a fair, comprehensive and internationally acceptable solution to the problem. We keep in regular contact with the Secretary-General and Ambassador Marker about the progress of talks on East Timor.
28 Jan 1999 : Column: 395
Dr. Starkey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the UK Government policy on Israel's participation in the Fifth Framework Programme. [67405]
Ms Quin:
We see value in Israel's participation in the Fifth Framework Programme. Given recent events in the region, however, we understand the concerns of our EU partners that now is not the right time to decide the issue. We hope this can be resolved as soon as circumstances permit.
Dr. Starkey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the EU Council of Ministers will discuss the possible participation of Israel in the Fifth Framework Programme of research. [67404]
Ms Quin:
EU Ministers looked at this issue at the GAC on 27-28 April 1998. There are no plans at present to discuss this further at Ministerial level in the EU.
Dr. Starkey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what other non-EU member states are being considered for participation in the Fifth Framework Programme. [67407]
Ms Quin:
The countries being considered for full Associated Membership of the Fifth Framework Programme are: the ten Central and Eastern European countries and Cyprus (which have applied for EU membership); Israel and Switzerland.
Dr. Starkey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with other EU member states on Israel's participation in the Fifth Framework Programme; and what views they have expressed. [67406]
Ms Quin:
My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed the Fifth Framework Programme with EU colleagues in the Council in April 1998. There is consensus among EU partners that no decision on Israel's participation in the programme should be taken now.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with representatives of the Indian Government about the treatment of Christians in the Gujarat. [67883]
Mr. Fatchett:
We have made clear to the Indian authorities our concern over attacks on members of minority communities. I raised the issue with the Indian Home Minister in November last year. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I separately raised our concerns with the Indian National Security Adviser on 20 January.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received on the treatment of Christians in the Gujarat. [67882]
Mr. Fatchett:
We have had representations from religious and other organisations.
28 Jan 1999 : Column: 396
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) telephone inquiries and (b) letters the Migration and Visa Correspondence Unit received in December 1998. [67884]
Mr. Fatchett:
Complete figures for December 1998 for telephone calls to the Migration and Visa Correspondence Unit (MVCU) are not available. 959 calls were received on the main public inquiry line. In addition several hundred calls were received on the Unit's other lines.
The MVCU received 738 letters in December 1998 of which 582 were from hon. Members.
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what actions he (a) has taken in the last two years and (b) plans to take on human rights issues in Aceh, Indonesia. [67403]
Mr. Fatchett:
We continue to monitor events in Aceh and are in close contact with local NGOs including the Indonesia National Human Rights Commission (KomnasHam), who sent a team to Aceh earlier this month to investigate recent incidents. Our Embassy in Jakarta makes periodic visits to different parts of Indonesia, including Aceh, to assess the situation on the ground. We have made clear to the Indonesians our view that peace and reconciliation in Aceh will only be possible if past military abuses in the province are fully investigated and those responsible are made accountable for their actions.
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