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European Commission
31. Mr. Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the disciplinary procedures applicable to employees of the European Commission. [79977]
Ms Quin: I believe that a review of these procedures for disciplinary offences should form part of the Commission reform process. Effective arrangements must be put in place under which those who do not meet the standard required of European public servants can be disciplined and, if necessary, dismissed within a reasonable timescale.
European Union
32. Ms Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his European counterparts about institutional reform of the European Union. [79978]
Ms Quin: Heads of Government met Mr. Prodi, the European Council's nominee for Commission President, on 14 April to discuss Commission reform. They agreed to take forward the reform process at the European Council in Cologne on 3-4 June on the basis of more detailed plans drawn up by Mr. Prodi.
The timing of an Intergovernmental Conference to examine institutional reform prior to enlargement will be considered at the Cologne summit.
The Government are pushing for profound reform of the way in which the Commission works. We believe that the Commission should be guided by the principles of efficiency, transparency and accountability. Achieving this will require changes in financial control systems, personnel management and structures.
34. Mr. Ian Bruce:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's relations with the new Government in Nigeria. [79980]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
We are working to build a strong relationship with President-elect General Olusegun Obasanjo, who will be sworn in to office on 29 May 1999.
My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met him in Nigeria shortly after the February Presidential elections. General Obasanjo subsequently visited London and had a meeting with my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, which I attended. He also met my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence.
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36. Mr. Sutcliffe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the funding of the BBC World Service during (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01 and (c) 2001-02. [79982]
Ms Quin:
Following the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review in July 1998, grant-in-aid to the BBC World Service was increased by £44.2 million to £175.5 million in 1999-2000, £174.0 million in 2000-01 and £177.7 million in 2001-02, a real increase of on average nearly 3.9 per cent. in each year above the 1998-99 level. This compares with a CSR increase for the FCO of around 2 per cent. per annum.
37. Dr. Tony Wright:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress with the establishment of an international criminal court. [79983]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
Eighty one States, including the UK, have signed the Statute of the International Criminal Court and two have ratified it. The first meeting of the Preparatory Commission for the Court took place in February; the next will begin on 26 July. The Government continue to lobby for international support for the Court, and are playing a full part in the work of the Preparatory Commission.
Mr. Sawford:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had on corpus juris; and if he will make a statement. [79951]
Kate Hoey:
I have been asked to reply.
The research study entitled "Corpus Juris", published in 1997 under the aegis of the European Commission, contains proposals for common penal rules and procedures to protect the financial interests of the European Community, including the creation of an office of European Public Prosecutor.
The House of Lords European Communities Committee has recently conducted an inquiry into the Corpus Juris report. The Government provided both written and oral evidence to the inquiry and are awaiting the Committee's findings.
Although the Government fully share the objective of fighting fraud against the Community budget, we disagree with many of the recommendations of the "Corpus Juris" study. None of the recommendations have been submitted to the Council of Ministers, but if this were to happen, unanimous agreement would be needed for them to be adopted and come into effect. The Government's agreement to the majority of the proposals in their present form is highly unlikely.
Mr. Efford:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department of the Macpherson Inquiry recommendations; and if he will make a statement. [80523]
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Mr. Fatchett:
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply to his question given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 14 April 1999, Official Report, column 239.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the criteria for selection of Ambassadors for British business. [81038]
Mr. Fatchett:
The Ambassadors for British Business were selected to represent a wide cross-section of British commercial success. They are people who frequently go abroad on working visits and have a wealth of specialist knowledge backed up by the excellent contracts. They include the chairmen and executives of multinationals as well as smaller concerns. They have been very successful in helping to promote the United Kingdom as a place to do business.
Mr. Menzies Campbell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 22 March 1999, Official Report, column 61, on Papua New Guinea, what issues were discussed with the High Commissioner at the meeting of 3 March; what actions were requested of Her Majesty's Government; and what commitments were made on behalf of Her Majesty's Government. [80878]
Mr. Fatchett:
On 3 March, the Papua New Guinea High Commissioner telephoned officials at FCO. In line with Government practice, I cannot reveal the substance of an exchange conducted in confidence with a representative of a foreign government.
Mr. Austin:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to allow the Chagos islanders to visit their homeland; and if he will make a statement. [80803]
Mr. Fatchett
[holding answer 16 April 1999]: Any person who wishes to visit the Chagos islands can apply for a permit to do so and each application will be considered on its merits.
Mr. Austin:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the demand of the Chagos islanders to return to their homeland following the recent High Court ruling on this matter; and if he will make a statement. [80802]
Mr. Fatchett
[holding answer 16 April 1999]: The recent High Court ruling concerned an application for leave to apply for a Judicial Review. Leave was granted and in due course the case will be heard by the full Divisional Court. In the meantime, it will be inappropriate for the Government to comment further.
Mr. Austin:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Libyan Arab Jamahirya regarding the re-opening of a Libyan diplomatic mission in London; and if he will make a statement. [80809]
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Mr. Fatchett
[holding answer 16 April 1999]: The re-opening of a Libyan diplomatic mission in London depends on the re-establishment of diplomatic relations which were broken off in 1984 after the shooting of WPC Fletcher outside the Libyan People's Bureau in London.
Following the handover of the two Lockerbie accused, there remain a number of other bilateral issues between Libya and ourselves. Foremost of these is the WPC Fletcher case.
Mr. Austin:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he intends (a) to re-open the British Embassy in Tripoli and (b) to re-establish full diplomatic relations with Libya; and if he will make a statement. [80807]
Mr. Fatchett
[holding answer 16 April 1999]: The re-opening of the British Embassy in Tripoli depends on the re-establishment of diplomatic relations which were broken off in 1984 after the shooting of WPC Fletcher outside the Libyan People's Bureau in London.
Following the handover of the two Lockerbie accused, there remain a number of other bilateral issues between Libya and ourselves. Foremost of these is the WPC Fletcher case.
Mr. Alan Johnson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken by the UK and the EU to implement the suspension of UN sanctions against Libya; and if he will make a statement. [81677]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
UN sanctions against Libya imposed by Security Council resolutions 748 and 883 were suspended on 5 April, in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 1192 (1998), immediately the UN Secretary-General reported that the two Lockerbie accused had been delivered for trial before the Scottish court established in the Netherlands and that the Libyan Government had satisfied the French judicial authorities with regard to the bombing of UTA 772. The prohibition on payment of performance bonds in paragraph 8 of resolution 883 remains in operation.
The provisions of those resolutions were implemented in the UK by restrictions imposed in the Libya (United Nations Prohibition of Flights) Order 1992, The Libya (United Nations Sanctions) Order 1993, The Libya (United Nations Sanctions)(Channel Islands) Order 1993 and The Libya (United Nations Sanctions)(Isle of Man) Order 1993. In accordance with Article 1(2) of each Order its operation was accordingly suspended; Article 13 of the three 1993 Orders, which imposes restrictions on the payment of bonds given in respect of contracts whose performance had been affected by the suspended provisions of the Orders, and the provisions in those Orders relating to the enforcement of Article 13, remain in operation. Details of the suspension of UN sanctions and of the Orders have been published in a notice in the London Gazette on 12 April and the Edinburgh and Belfast Gazettes on 9 April. Action is in hand to gazette the suspension of the relevant provisions of the Orders implementing the UN sanctions in the Overseas Territories.
On 16 April, The Council of the EU adopted a Common Position (7318/99) suspending the measures taken against Libya by the EU in response to UN Security Council resolutions 748 and 883.
20 Apr 1999 : Column: 513
The Common Position also specified that the measures agreed by Member States in 1986 in response to Libya's general implication in terrorism should remain in force (these measures are an arms embargo; restrictions on the freedom of movement of Libyan diplomats and consular personnel; reduction of the staff of diplomatic and consular missions; and stricter visa requirements and procedures). The Common Position will be reviewed in the light of the UN Secretary-General's report on Libyan compliance with the remaining provisions of UN Security Council resolutions 731 and 748, in particular Libyan renunciation of terrorism.
The Common Position does not affect Regulation 3275/93 which prohibits the satisfying of claims with regard to contracts and transactions the performance of which was affected by UN sanctions.
Based on this Common Position, the EC adopted a Regulation suspending the application of Regulation 3274/93 which prevented the supply of certain goods and services to Libya.
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