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Social Security Commissioners
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department how many social security commissioners are (a) women, (b) from ethnic minorities, (c) solicitors or former solicitors and (d) barristers or former barristers; what is the total number of commissioners; and if he will make a statement. [79792]
Mr. Hoon: There are a total of 46 Social Security Commissioners in post. The breakdown is as follows: 12 are female and 34 are male; 26 are barristers (or former barristers); 16 are solicitors (or former solicitors); and the remaining 4 are neither barristers nor solicitors. So far as an ethnic breakdown is concerned, to enable the Lord Chancellor to monitor the effectiveness of policies designed to attract more members of the ethnic community to apply for judicial appointment, candidates are requested to indicate their ethnic origin on their application. This is a recent introduction to the appointment process and candidates are not compelled to answer. Therefore, from records currently held I cannot provide an ethnic breakdown. I do not propose to make a statement.
Employment Tribunals (Chairmen)
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time chairmen of employment tribunals are (i) women, (ii) from ethnic minorities, (iii) solicitors or former solicitors and (iv) barristers or former barristers; and what is the total number of (1) full-time and (2) part-time chairmen in post. [79784]
Mr. Hoon:
There are a total of 84 full-time Chairmen of Employment Tribunals in post. The breakdown is as follows: 71 are male, of which 28 are former barristers and 43 are former solicitors; and 13 are female, of which 6 are former barristers and 7 are former solicitors. There are a total of 204 part-time Chairmen of Employment Tribunals in post. The breakdown is as follows: 170 are male, of which 47 are barristers (or former barristers) and
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123 are solicitors (or former solicitors); and 33 are female, of which 9 are barristers (or former barristers) and 24 are solicitors (or former solicitors).
So far as an ethnic breakdown is concerned, to enable the Lord Chancellor to monitor the effectiveness of policies designed to attract more members of the ethnic community to apply for judicial appointment, candidates are requested to indicate their ethnic origin on their application. This is a recent introduction to the appointment process and candidates are not compelled to answer. Therefore, full and detailed records are not available. However, from records that are available, I can indicate that, of the 84 full-time Chairmen, one is Asian, 29 are White and three are West Indian. Of the 204 part-time Chairmen, 22 are White and three are West Indian.
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to extend the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and Race Relations Act 1976 to the appointments procedures for (a) QCs and (b) judges; and if he will make a statement. [79795]
Mr. Hoon:
The Government are currently considering proposals for changes to the Sex Discrimination and Race Relations legislation, including whether these might have any implications for judicial appointments and appointments as Queen's Counsel.
Mr. McAllion:
To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will place copies of the following Public Record Office files in the Library, (a) group LAB, class 10, piece number 2539, (b) group FS, class 24, piece number 19, (c) group FS, class 27, piece number 486, (d) group LAB, class 10, piece number 3106, (e) group LAB, class 10, piece number 3150 and (f) group LAB, class 10, piece number 1715. [80440]
Mr. Hoon:
The Public Record Office will supply copies of the files to the Library on payment of the copying fees prescribed by The Public Record Office (Fees) Regulations 1999 (SI 1999/691). The files themselves may be consulted free of charge at the Public Record Office.
Ministerial Visits
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the parliamentary constituencies which he has visited in an official capacity in the past 12 months. [71334]
Mr. Robin Cook [holding answer 15 February 1999]: I have carried out official engagements as Foreign Secretary at venues in the following constituencies:
- Edinburgh, Central
- Birmingham, Ladywood
- Cardiff, Central
- Cotswold
- Hayes and Harlington
- Grantham and Stamford.
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Departmental Budget
Mrs. Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was his Department's budget in cash terms and at 1998-99 prices for the years (a) 1992-93 to 1998-99 and (b) his estimate for 1999-2000 to 2001-02. [77335]
Mr. Fatchett [holding answer 22 March 1999]: For the years 1993-94 onwards, I refer the hon. Member to the 1999 Foreign and Commonwealth Office Departmental Report, pages 4 and 5. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House. The figures for 1992-93, adjusted according to the same deflators as the figures in the Departmental Report, are:
| Total FCO budget (£m) | Cash terms | Real terms (1998-99 prices) |
|---|---|---|
| 1992-93 | 1,242 | 1,441 |
GCHQ
Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of potential interference to GCHQ transmissions from the development of technology to deliver high-speed internet connections via powerlines; and if he will make a statement. [78869]
Mr. Robin Cook: The Radiocommunications Agency has advised that any system providing high-speed internet access through mains electricity wiring has the potential to cause radio frequency interference. This means that any proposed system would need rigorous trials in order to avoid risk to the national user interest.
Strategic Export Controls (Annual Report)
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to include contributions from the Secretary of State for International Development in future strategic export controls annual reports. [79712]
Mr. Tony Lloyd: The Department for International Development will continue to be fully consulted in line with its policy responsibilities on the format and content of future reports on strategic export controls.
Lobbyists
Mr. Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a list, including names and dates, of all meetings that (a) he, (b) his officials, (c) his advisers and (d) his PPS have held during (i) 1997, (ii) 1998 and (iii) 1999 with people who work for political lobbying firms or for businesses that are members of the Public Relations Consultants Association. [79649]
Mr. Fatchett: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 9 March 1999, Official Report, column 168.
The requirements of the Ministerial Code also apply to Parliamentary Private Secretaries when attending any meetings in an official or semi-official capacity.
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Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what cultural exchange programmes he is currently planning with the Greek Government; and if he will make a statement. [79696]
Mr. Fatchett:
The cultural exchange programme agreed with the Greek Government in 1998 provides a framework for the full range of artistic and cultural activity. We enjoy a dynamic bilateral partnership. For example, the next few months will see tours of Greece by British theatre and dance companies, and exhibitions and premieres of visual arts and music by Greek artists in the UK. Many of these events follow on from the "Britain and Greece" Festival in November and December 1998, devised and delivered by the British Council in Greece, and promoted by the British Embassy. The cultural components of this Festival included concerts, theatre, lectures, exhibitions, films and conferences. The Greek Prime Minister and other Government Ministers attended several events. Media coverage was strong, including 216 press articles on individual events and 70 on the general Festival, and 89 TV mentions across 7 channels.
Mr. Healey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will provide details of the equipment to be provided by the United Kingdom to ECOMOG, as part of the United Kingdom's £10 million package of assistance to Sierra Leone; and what assurances he has received about its use. [80720]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
We continue to believe that lasting peace in Sierra Leone cannot be achieved by military means alone. But for a negotiated solution to be achieved, the people and Government of Sierra Leone must be secure.
On 30 March 1999, Official Report, column 567, I announced that £5 million of the UK's new £10 million package of assistance for Sierra Leone would be made available to provide further equipment for ECOMOG; and that deliveries of equipment would be arriving shortly. This is to support ECOMOG's efforts to protect the people and the democratically elected Government of Sierra Leone. As part of our package of assistance to ECOMOG, we are providing logistic support in the form of vehicles, boots and rations, as well as light weapons and ammunition.
We have secured assurances from ECOMOG that this equipment will be used only in accordance with internationally acceptable human rights standards and humanitarian law. We have made it clear to ECOMOG that our support is conditional on ECOMOG and the Government of Sierra Leone respecting human rights.
In accordance with normal practice, we will notify the United Nations Sanctions Committee once we have precise details of the consignments. We have received assurances from ECOMOG and the Government of Sierra Leone that the equipment will remain in Sierra Leone when ECOMOG eventually departs.
Mr. Healey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to publish the Government's response to the Foreign Affairs Committee report on Sierra Leone (HC 116 of Session 1998-99). [80721]
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Mr. Robin Cook:
The Government's response will be published today.
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