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Leaked Documents
Mr. Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will list all leaked Foreign Affairs Committee documents that reached (a) him, (b) his ministers, (c) his officials, (d) his advisers and (e) departmental parliamentary private secretaries during (i) 1998 and (ii) 1999 and the dates on which they were received; [73806]
- (2) if he will send to the Clerk of the Foreign Affairs Committee all leaked Committee documents and copies of them that are or have been in his or his Department's possession and that are rightfully the property of the committee, the House or hon. Members. [73902]
Mr. Robin Cook [holding answer 1 March 1999]: I refer to my earlier answer to the hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs. Gillan) on 23 February 1999, Official Report, columns 259-60, and to my statements in the House 24 February 1999, Official Report, column 415, and 2 March 1999, Official Report, column 894.
My office received, shortly before its publication in December 1998, the command paper version of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee's Report on Human Rights. It was seen by myself and by a limited number of officials.
My office received in January 1999 a copy of a draft version of the Foreign Affairs Committee's Report on enlargement. It was seen by the Minister of State, my right hon. Friend the Member for Gateshead, East and Washington, West (Ms Quin), and by a limited number of officials. Reflecting the fact that the subject matter was not controversial, it was not shown to me.
No action was taken to publish or disclose any part of these Reports, or to interfere in any way with their preparation or the Committee's deliberations on them. No advice or assistance was given to any Member of the Select Committee in the drafting of amendments.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the dates on
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which he held meetings with (a) the Permanent Secretary and (b) Ministers to discuss (i) the Legg report and (ii) the Foreign Affairs Committee report on Sierra Leone (HC 116) of Session 1998-99. [73176]
Mr. Robin Cook:
I have discussed the issued arising from Sandline International's activities in Sierra Leone on many occasions since May 1998 with both the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd), and the Permanent Under-Secretary.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which officials drafted the answers to the hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham of 16 February 1999, Official Report, column 751 (ref. 71829), and 23 February 1999, Official Report, columns 259-60 (ref. 71836). [74333]
Mr. Robin Cook
[holding answer 2 March 1999]: The first answer was drafted by officials in the Parliamentary Relations Department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and the second by officials in my office, after consultation with me.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish all his Department's correspondence with the hon. Member for Dundee, West (Mr. Ross) since his appointment to the Foreign Affairs Committee. [73634]
Mr. Robin Cook
[holding answer 26 February 1999]: There is no correspondence which has any bearing on the Foreign Affairs Committee Report on Sierra Leone or otherwise on my hon. Friend's membership of the Select Committee.
Mr. Woodward:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of his recent meeting with the Foreign Minister of Spain. [72213]
Ms Quin
[holding answer 22 February 1999]: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed a variety of issues concerning Gibraltar with his Spanish counterpart on 21 February. He pressed the Spanish Foreign Minister to reduce the present unacceptable delays at the border. He gave Sr. Matutes details of Gibraltar's record in transposing EU directives, on which the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs had produced inaccurate public statements. He said that there were currently no problems over fishing in British waters around Gibraltar and that the outstanding charges against Spanish fishermen were a matter for the courts. He defended the validity of Gibraltar driving licences, and reaffirmed our and the Government of Gibraltar's willingness to look into any evidence of illegal activity concerning money laundering. The Ministers agreed on the importance of improving bilateral relations and overcoming differences between them. They agreed to meet again.
Mr. Trend:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he raised the Spanish proposals for joint sovereignty of Gibraltar during his meeting with the Spanish Foreign Minister on 21 February; what was the
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result of the discussions on the issues of border delays and possible restrictions on commercial over-flights; and if he will make a statement. [73177]
Ms Quin:
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Witney (Mr. Woodward) today at column 877. The meeting between the Foreign Secretary and the Spanish Foreign Minister on 21 February was not part of the Brussels Process. The Spanish proposals tabled at the last Brussels Process meeting were not discussed in detail. We have made clear we will respond to Sr Matutes' proposals at the next meeting of that process. The Foreign Secretary confirmed to Sr Matutes that we were happy to have such a meeting.
At their meeting, the Foreign Secretary pressed his Spanish counterpart to reduce delays at the border and expressed concern at reports that Spain was considering introducing restrictions on overflights of Spain by aircraft to and from Gibraltar. The Ministers agreed to meet again.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress achieved with a United Kingdom lead consequential to the joint letter of President Chirac and Chancellor Kohl to the Cardiff European Council. [74438]
Ms Quin:
Since the Franco-German letter written to the Prime Minister before the Cardiff European Council, the UK has taken the lead in agreeing joint statements with Spain on economic reform and employment, Sweden on social inclusion, and Germany on tax, in advance of the Vienna European Council. In addition, we issued a joint statement on defence with France at the Anglo- French summit in St. Malo last December, and are vigorously pursuing this debate with partners in the run up to the Washington NATO Summit in April and the Cologne European Council in June. There has been a widespread welcome from our EU partners for our approach.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Commission's 1999 work programme as set out in COM (98) 609, detailing each proposal listed. [74442]
Ms Quin:
A copy of the Commission's Work Programme (COM (98) 604 and COM (98) 609) has been deposited in the Library of the House. This includes a full list of the new legislative initiatives proposed by the Commission. The Government's reaction to the Work Programme was made in explanatory memoranda Nos. 12841/98 and 12840/98, submitted on 8 December 1998.
Mr. Alan Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received about the use of British-made water cannon against persons outside the Maspion electronics and plastics factory in Surabaya, East Java, on 17 February; and if he will make a statement. [74400]
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Mr. Fatchett:
We understand that Tactica water cannon was used in Surabaya on 17 February. These water cannon were licensed under the previous Administration. No water cannon have been approved for export under our Government.
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he intends to discuss the use of British Tactica water cannon with the Indonesian Government. [74371]
Mr. Fatchett:
We have made clear to the Indonesian authorities that British-supplied equipment should not be used against civilians to prevent the exercise of their rights of free expression, assembly and association, or in violation of, other international human rights standards.
Mr. Coaker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes he proposes to make in his Department's cash limits and running costs limits for 1998-99. [75216]
Mr. Fatchett:
Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates the following change will be made in addition to the changes I announced on 11 February 1999, Official Report, column 361.
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