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Political Offences
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the countries to which he made representations in 1998 about imprisonment of elected members of parliament where such members are held in prison for alleged political offences; and if he will make a statement. [74622]
Mr. Tony Lloyd: We condemn the detention of any individual on the basis of his or her political beliefs. Detention of an elected representative is a particularly blatant abuse in that it demonstrates a total disregard, not just for that individual's rights, but for the whole democratic process.
We regularly raise cases of political detainees with the authorities concerned. We do so both bilaterally and with EU partners, at official and Ministerial level. However, we do not keep a central list of all such approaches.
More generally, we are working through dialogue, practical assistance and, where necessary, criticism to promote the full enjoyment of political freedoms by all.
5 Mar 1999 : Column: 944
If the hon. Gentleman has a particular case in mind, I should be happy to give a more detailed response.
Mr. Chope:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to publish the Annual report on Strategic Export Controls. [74761]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
The report will be published as soon as possible.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking to publicise the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to UK citizens. [74954]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
Throughout 1998, we supported a wide range of events in the UK--and abroad--to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
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Specific initiatives to increase public awareness of the rights enshrined in the Declaration include a Foreign Office funded schools information pack, the joint FCO/DfID Annual Report on Human Rights, and the human rights page on the FCO's website.
Related activities included the participation of the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary in Amnesty's "Get Up, Sign Up!" campaign; a series of Ministerial keynote speeches on human rights, and FCO funded human rights seminars.
We will continue to publicise the Declaration and other international human rights standards.
Ms Bridget Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the visit by the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the hon. Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd), as the Prime Minister's Special Envoy to the countries directly or indirectly involved in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. [75694]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
I visited the Democratic Republic of Congo and other countries directly or indirectly involved in the conflict there from 22-26 February as the Prime Minister's Special Envoy. The objective was to assess progress in the African mediation efforts and explore what more Britain and the international community may be able to do to support these. I met the Presidents of the countries most directly involved--the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zimbabwe, Uganda and Rwanda--senior government representatives in South Africa, Angola and Namibia, and the Secretary-General of the Organisation of African Unity.
I conveyed the same message to all those directly involved in the conflict: the war was one no-one could win; it was damaging their own interests and causing untold suffering for the people of the region; resolving the conflict required an African solution--Britain was ready to do all it could to support this; Britain was working with its partners in the European Union and in the Security Council to help African mediation efforts. I urged them all to show the political will to end the conflict. All sides acknowledged the need for an early negotiated settlement, but none was prepared to withdraw its forces. We are considering what more we can do now to underpin African efforts and to bring about a just, peaceful and lasting settlement.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which European Community working groups are undertaking work concerning (a) unfunded pensions liabilities and (b) trade union rights within the context of labour market reform. [74447]
Mr. Ian McCartney:
I have been asked to reply.
I am responding to part (b) of the right hon. Gentleman's question as it is the responsibility of my Department; part (a) is the responsibility of the Department for Social Security.
5 Mar 1999 : Column: 946
There are no European Community working groups undertaking work at present concerning trade union rights within the context of labour market reform.
Mr. Gray:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to assist farmers to meet meat production costs arising from compliance with regulations. [74697]
Mr. Rooker:
In his statement to the House on 16 November 1998, Official Report, columns 624-40, my right hon. Friend the Minister announced an aid package for livestock farmers worth some £120 million this year. The Government have no plans, and indeed see no case, for further assistance.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to issue information from his Department to help the public make an informed decision when they vote on the single currency. [73581]
Mr. Rooker:
Any plans by the Government to issue information during a referendum campaign on whether or not the UK should join the single currency would be made in light of the Government's response to the recommendations from the Neill Committee on the conduct of referendums. The Government will announce their conclusions on those recommendations when my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary publishes a White Paper and draft Bill before the summer recess.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the subject areas within his Department's responsibilities which will be covered by the information campaign on Britain's membership of a single currency. [73676]
Mr. Rooker:
I understand that HM Treasury, which has overall responsibility for the information campaign, will continue its dialogue with key external bodies to determine what information the public and business would need at each stage of the changeover process. Any campaign would cover key concerns that the public and business in the whole range of sectors have. Chapter eight of the Treasury's Outline National Changeover Plan provides further information. Copies of the Plan are available in the House Library.
MAFF would support Treasury efforts in relation to the industries which the Department sponsors.
Mr. Chope:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to announce the Government's response to their consultation on quarantine for animals. [74271]
Mr. Rooker:
The Government are considering the outcome of the consultation on the review of quarantine rules undertaken by the Advisory Group on Quarantine. We will announce a specific way forward as soon as we can.
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Sir George Young:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will authorise the release from quarantine of clinically healthy dogs and cats which show valid serological evidence of immunity to rabies. [72943]
Mr. Rooker:
I refer the right hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Woking (Mr. Malins) on 2 March 1999, Official Report, column 721.
Mr. Prosser:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if there has been any significant change in UK live lamb and sheep prices since Farmers' Ferry Ltd. began operating a vessel carrying livestock from Dover to the continent in August 1998; and if he will make a statement. [74323]
Mr. Rooker:
There has been a significant decline in the market price of UK lamb and sheep since August 1998. A number of factors, including the volume of exports, influence these prices. Whilst the Government wish to encourage the export of sheep as meat rather then as live animals, it is likely that UK market prices would have been further depressed in the absence of competition from the live export trade.
Mr. Prosser:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to persuade farmers and exporters to replace the export of live animals with the export of meat and carcases; and if he will make a statement. [74319]
Mr. Rooker:
The Government would strongly prefer to see meat exported rather than live animals. However, two European Court judgments have made clear this is a legal trade. Our approach therefore is to ensure scrupulous application of the EU rules protecting animals in transit, and encourage other member states to do the same.
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