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European Standard Fund

Mr. Rowlands: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate his Department has made of the annual amount received in Wales from European structural funds between 1992 and 1999; and what percentage these amounts were of the total receipts received under European structural funds within the United Kingdom. [75856]

Mr. Hain: The information is not available in the format requested since Structural Fund programmes run over a period of years. For the period covered by the present regulations (1994-99), Wales has been allocated £640 million from the Structural Funds, which represents 7 per cent. of the total United Kingdom allocation.

Electronic Red Boxes

Mr. Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will name the Ministers in his Department who are regular users of electronic Red Boxes. [76169]

Mr. Michael: I refer the right hon. Member to the reply given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office, on 16 March 1999, Official Report, columns 651-52. Preparations are being made to ensure that Assembly Secretaries and Members are at the cutting edge of new technologies.

Schools Census

Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when the results of the January 1999 schools' census will be published. [76212]

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Mr. Hain: Schools Census results will be available later this year and will be published in "Statistics of Education and Training in Wales: Schools in 2000". Provisional results about class sizes will be published in a Statistical Release in the summer. The precise date of publication will be announced in the Office for National Statistics' monthly "National Statistics Update" in due course.

Following the transfer of functions, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.

SCOTLAND

Nurses (Pay)

Mr. Gorrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what finance has been provided in the Comprehensive Spending Review for increases in nurses' pay in Scotland in 2000-01 and 2001-02. [69716]

Mr. Galbraith [holding answer 15 February 1999]: While no specific funds have been provided for nurses' pay in the Comprehensive Spending Review, the outcome provided sufficient funds to meet the reasonable cost of future nurses' pay awards.

From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

Secondhand Tyres

Mr. Gorrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will increase the resources available to council trading standards departments to enable them (a) to enforce rules relating to the sale of unsafe secondhand tyres and (b) to publicise the dangers of low-quality secondhand tyres. [75614]

Ms Glenda Jackson: I have been asked to reply.

We took into account pressures on local authorities, and their ability to make efficiency savings, when setting the level of provision in the Comprehensive Spending Review and in reaching conclusions on the Local Government Finance Settlement 1999-2000. We also took into account the views of the local government associations and others who we consulted during consultation on our proposals. The level of resources devoted to the enforcement of the Motor Vehicles Tyres (Safety) Regulations 1994, which seek to control the quality of part worn tyres, is a matter for each local authority responsible for trading standards.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Turkey

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to Turkey about the principles of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly on the legal rights of a person charged with an offence. [74621]

Ms Quin: We regularly raise with Turkey the importance we attach to Turkey meeting its obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights, including the right of a person charged with an offence to a fair trial and to legal counsel of his choice.

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With EU partners we most recently raised this issue with Turkey on 22 February.

Gibraltar

Mr. Colvin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how he intends to respond to the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in respect of the rights of citizens of Gibraltar to vote in elections of the European Parliament. [76637]

Ms Quin: We will be taking all available steps to secure extension of the EP franchise to Gibraltar, in the light of the decision of the European Court of Human Rights. However, this can be done only by amending the 1976 EC Act on Direct Elections. This will require the agreement of all Member States. HMG will seek such an amendment in the current negotiations in Brussels on establishing Common Principles for EP elections.

Iraq (Oil)

Mr. Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what role United Nations forces have in the prevention of export of oil from Iraq; [76933]

(2) what estimate he has made of the number of barrels of oil, and the value in US dollars, exported illegally each year from Iraq to each first destination; [76934]

(3) if he will make a statement on the illegal export of oil by road from Iraq. [76932]

Mr. Fatchett: No UN forces are specifically assigned to preventing the export of oil from Iraq. It is for individual member states to implement UN sanctions. A Multinational Interdiction Force, to which the UK regularly contributes maritime assets, patrols the Gulf to reduce the volume of illegal trade with Iraq, particularly oil, the most lucrative source of income for the Iraqi regime. We regularly make representations to Iraq's neighbours on the importance of preventing such a trade.

HMG estimates that illegal exports of refined oil products via the Gulf since 1995 are as follows:

1995: 20,000 metric tonnes, valued at $2 million (one metric tonne is equivalent to 7.33 barrels).

1996: 264,585 tonnes valued at $30 million.

1997: 1,550,692 tonnes valued at $100-130 million.

1998: 1,929,260 tonnes valued at least at $100 million.

1999: approx 37,000 tonnes for January and February.

Illegal exports of refined products via Turkey are:

1995: valued at $20 million.

1996: approx 710,000 tonnes valued at $22-50 million.

1997: valued at $70-150 million.

1998: possibly between 1.7-10.4 million tonnes over the year, estimated at a value of approximately $300 million.

Illegal oil exports via Syria, probably both crude oil and diesel, started in the second half of 1998. HMG cannot assess the quantity or value.

Kosovo

Mr. Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his Department's response to Russian objections to Chapters 2 and 7 of the Rambouillet text. [77156]

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Mr. Tony Lloyd: The draft interim political agreement on Kosovo remains the subject of negotiation at the current peace talks in Paris. It would not therefore be helpful to comment on specific aspects of the agreement, or on the views of individual Contact Group members, at this critical stage.

Nigeria

Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent elections in Nigeria. [76979]

Mr. Tony Lloyd: We welcome the progress of Nigeria's transition programme back to civilian democratic rule. While international observers noted some irregularities and logistical difficulties in the recent elections, they have commented that these did not affect the overall result, which we judge was a genuine reflection of the will of the Nigerian people. During his recent visit to Nigeria, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs congratulated President-elect Obasanjo on his victory. We hope that he will be able to visit the United Kingdom soon.

Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his meeting with President-elect Obasanjo. [76980]

Mr. Tony Lloyd: My right hon. Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary met President-elect Obasanjo in Nigeria on 10 March. The Foreign Secretary congratulated the President-elect on his election victory and highlighted the efforts Britain was making to help the transition process. The Foreign Secretary announced Britain's new pledge of £750,000 to help prepare the military for their role under a democratic government. My right hon. Friend reaffirmed that the United Kingdom would continue to support Nigeria's efforts to consolidate lasting democracy and prosperity. We would urge our partners in the Commonwealth to lift Nigeria's suspension immediately.

Other topics discussed included Nigeria's economy and future support for the democratically elected government in Sierra Leone.

Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure that Nigeria returns to full membership of the Commonwealth. [76981]

Mr. Tony Lloyd: The United Kingdom supports Nigeria's early return to the Commonwealth. The decision lies with Commonwealth Heads of Government. This matter will be discussed by the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group, at their next meeting on 29-30 April.

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