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Single Currency

Mr. Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the subject areas

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within his Department's responsibilities which will be covered by the information campaign on Britain's membership of a single currency. [73666]

Mr. Mudie: Her Majesty's Treasury 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 information campaign would cover key concerns that the public and business may have. Chapter eight of HMT's "Outline National Changeover Plan" provides further information. Copies of the Plan are available in the Library.

Mr. Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment 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. [73589]

Mr. Mudie: 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

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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.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Turkey

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the financial assistance given to Turkey by his Department in each of the last three years, stating (a) the amount of funding, (b) the projects for which the funding was allocated and (c) what supervision his Department conducted on the development of these projects. [74638]

Ms Quin: The information is as follows:

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£
FY 98-99FY 97-98FY 96-97
Sponsored visits from Turkey to the UK18,92712,818unavailable
Chevening Scholarships for Turkish students230,146123,21458,000
Police training (under the ASSIST scheme, previously UKMTAS)(4)43,46000
Command programme budgets (including training, environmental and human rights projects)(5)91,88027,37525,678
Human Rights Project Fund (established 1998)(4)65,700----

(4) Provisional

(5) Provisional figures including funding allocated in 1997-98 but dispersed in 1998-99 or not yet dispersed

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All applications for financing projects under the Human Rights Project Fund, the Command Programme Budgets and ASSIST are considered against a range of criteria, which themselves derive from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Objectives.

Projects once authorised are subject to supervision by the Embassy in Akara. The Embassy provides reports to relevant FCO departments on projects as they develop and assessments of projects on completion.

Electronic Red Boxes

Mr. Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will name the Ministers in his Department who are regular users of electronic Red Boxes. [76177]

Mr. Fatchett: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office, Official Report, 16 March 1999, columns 651-52.

European Commission Funding

Mr. Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the position of his Department on the amendment to European Communities budget line B3-306 proposed by the Commission, to remove reference to any prohibition on these funds being used for propaganda purposes; what representations he made on the issue; and what assessment he has made of alternative uses for the funds. [76276]

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Ms Quin: The notes in the EC Budget have no legal status and are indicative only. Under Article 205, the Commission retains the obligation to implement the budget as adopted on its own authority. The notes are proposed by the Commission and amended by either arm of the budgetary authority (Council or European Parliament). For non-compulsory expenditure, as in the case of this budget line, the Parliament has the final say.

The Government believe that information spending from the Community budgets should not be used for propaganda, but should contribute to increased transparency and understanding of the EU, its activities, its structure and its functions, by the citizen. This is a view shared by the Commission.

James Miles and Paul Loseby

Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contact there has been between his Department and the parents of Paul Loseby and James Miles since 1 January 1999. [76427]

Mr. Fatchett: Since 1 January, consular staff have been in frequent contact with the parents of Paul Loseby and James Miles.

Gibraltar

Mr. Colvin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the legislative steps required to enable citizens of Gibraltar to vote in elections of the European Parliament. [76638]

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Ms Quin: Extension of the European Parliamentary franchise to Gibraltar will require amendment of the 1976 EC Act on Direct Elections. This will require the agreement of all EU Member States. HMG will seek such an amendment in the current negotiations in Brussels on establishing Common Principles for EP Elections. Once an amendment Act is agreed, it will require ratification in all Member States. We will also need to amend UK domestic legislation.

Travel (Millennium Date Change)

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to inform the public about the potential problems associated with (a) travelling, (b) living and (c) doing business overseas during the millennium date-change period. [77195]

Mr. Fatchett: We are issuing two sets of advice about potential Millennium Bug disruptions overseas. The first will alert British nationals who plan to travel, or will be resident overseas in the period late 1999 to early 2000 to the problem. The second will address the possible international consequences of the Millennium Bug for British businesses. Copies of these advice notices have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Rambouillet

Mr. Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the response of his Department to the letter of 5 March from the Serbian presidency on Rambouillet. [77155]

Mr. Tony Lloyd: Officials discussed the issues raised in the letter with the Yugoslav Ambassador on 8 March. They made it clear that the Rambouillet agreement was a fair and balanced text, following extensive consultations with both sides. The Contact Group was not now prepared to renegotiate the text.

The officials also pointed out that the Serbian delegation at Rambouillet had agreed to discuss the scope and character of an international presence in Kosovo necessary to implement the agreement.

Democratic Countries

Mr. Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those countries that Her Majesty's Government classes as democratic. [77435]

Mr. Tony Lloyd: The large majority of states now, at least in principle, aspire to democratic government. But this involves much more than just holding free and fair elections. Transparent and accountable government, freedom of expression and association, and the rule of law are also essential to genuine democracy. Rather than producing league tables, which are liable to be misleading, we are working, through political pressure and practical assistance, to promote the establishment and strengthening of such democratic systems around the world.

Ambassadors for British Business

Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the visits undertaken by each business ambassador. [77341]

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Mr. Fatchett: The Ambassadors for British Business have participated in more than 120 events in 35 countries. The visits undertaken by each of the Ambassadors for British Business are listed.




















































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    Martin Sorrell--WPP Group plc


    Japan--February 1998


    USA--April 1998


    Brazil--April 1998


    Egypt--May 1998


    USA--October 1998.

Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the cost to public funds of the business ambassador scheme. [77342]

Mr. Fatchett: The Ambassadors for British Business meet their own travel and accommodation costs on their overseas trips. There are some administrative costs to the department in staff time and for the initial meeting and follow up reception in London. In addition our Ambassadors at overseas posts sometimes make use of their entertainment budgets to host an event in connection with the scheme.

Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many business ambassadors there are currently. [77340]

Mr. Fatchett: There are currently 36 Ambassadors for British Business. They include the Chairman or Chief Executive of some of Britain's largest and internationally successful companies and represent a wide cross-section of the British private sector.

Mr. Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how the role of Ambassadors for British Business will change following the creation of British Trade International; and what changes there have been in the list of these ambassadors in the past year. [77551]

Mr. Fatchett: The Ambassadors for British Business scheme will be administered by British Trade International. There will be no change in the role of the Ambassadors for British Business.

There have been two deletions to the list during the past year; Mr. James Leek, McLeod Russel Holdings plc, in June 1998 and Lord Sainsbury in July 1998 when he became a member of the Government.

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