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NHS Pay Review
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if the pay increases for 1999-2000 agreed by Her Majesty's Government following the NHS Pay Review Bodies' recommendations were included in April salary payments to staff; and if he will make a statement. [83152]
Mr. Galbraith:
Authorisation to implement in full the pay increases for 1999-2000, recommended by the NHS Pay Review Bodies, was given to NHS Trusts in Scotland by 8 April. It is for NHS employers to implement the new pay scales as quickly as possible. Some employees have received the pay increases in their April salary. In some trusts this has not been possible but payment will be backdated to 1 April.
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From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
Mrs. Shephard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he made of the links between Societe Generale de Surveillance (Switzerland) and SGS Qualifer prior to granting approval to audit Forestry Commission woodlands for inclusion within the UK Woodland Assurance Scheme. [82938]
Mr. Macdonald:
The subject of this question relates to matters undertaken by Forest Enterprise. I have asked its Chief Executive, Dr. Bob McIntosh, to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Bob McIntosh to Mrs. Gillian Shephard, dated 4 May 1999:
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The Secretary of State for Scotland has asked me to reply to your Question No 8293 regarding the links between Societe Generale de Surveillance (Switzerland) and SGS Qualifer.
We were aware when accepting the tender for contract that SGS UK Limited is a UK registered company owned by the British SGS Holding UK Limited. They, in turn, are owned by the holding company, Societe Generale de Surveillance (Switzerland). The term QUALIFOR (Quality Forest Management) is the registered trademark used to identify the Group's Certification Programme.
Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many times the United Kingdom Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator has met members and officials of the US Government since he took up his post; and if he will list the dates and locations of each meeting, the US departments involved on each occasion and the names of the US members and officials at each meeting. [82265]
Dr. Jack Cunningham:
The United Kingdom Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator and US Government officials and members met on five occasions as follows:
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| Member | Position/office | |
|---|---|---|
| 11-12 June 1998, New York and Washington, whilst attending a special session of the United Nations General Assembly | ||
| General Barry McCaffrey | Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy | |
| Rand Beers | Assistant Secretary, International Narcotics and Law Enforcement | |
| Tom Constantine | Administrator, US Drug Enforcement Administration | |
| Donnie R. Marshall | Deputy Administrator, US Drug Enforcement Administration | |
| Thomas Umberg | Deputy Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy | |
| Jonathan Winer | Deputy Assistant Director, Department of State | |
| Ray Kelly | Under Secretary for Treasury Commissioner Designate, US Customs Service | |
| 14-15 October 1998, Miami, whilst attending a drug control conference | ||
| General Barry McCaffrey | ||
| Rand Beers | ||
| 18 January 1999, Vienna, attending a United Nations Drugs Control Policy Seminar | ||
| Rand Beers | ||
| Daniel Fantozzi | Director, State Department USA | |
| Thomas Umberg | ||
| Mrs. Adrienne Stefan | US Mission to the UN | |
| Mr. and Mrs. John Ritch | US Ambassador to the UN | |
| 25 January 1999, London | ||
| Frank Loy | Under Secretary for Global Affairs, US State Department | |
| 17 March 1999, London | ||
| Rand Beers | ||
| George Dragnich | Social Policy Counsellor, US Embassy | |
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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Schengen Agreement
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the bearing of the letter from the Dutch Government of 16 July 1997, regarding the Amsterdam Treaty negotiations, on the United Kingdom's declaration of intent at the Justice and Home Affairs Council to join elements of Schengen. [82298]
Ms Quin:
The letter from the Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the UK Permanent Representative of 16 July 1997 concerned negotiations of the Schengen Protocol to the Amsterdam Treaty.
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Following the Home Secretary's statement at the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 12 March, the Government expect shortly to be submitting a formal request to participate in provision of the Schengen aquis, under the terms of the Schengen Protocol and Declaration 45 annexed to the Amsterdam Treaty Final Act. Under this Declaration, the Council is invited to seek the opinion of the Commission before it decides on a request from the UK or Ireland to take part in Schengen provisions, and the Member States undertake to make their best efforts to facilitate such participation.
Mr. Hood:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the outcome of the General Affairs Council held in Luxembourg on 26 and 27 April; and if he will make a statement. [82684]
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Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on negotiations on the establishment of a common statute for MEPs. [82481]
Ms Quin:
I attended the General Affairs Council on 26 April and the Association Councils on 27 April, in Luxembourg. The Council adopted the A points listed in document 7517/99 and noted the resolutions, decisions and opinions adopted by the European Parliament in its sessions of 22-23 March, listed in document 6450/99, and 12-16 April. Copies of the documents listing the A points and resolutions will be placed in the House Libraries as soon as they become available.
Western Balkans
The Council expressed its strong and continuing support for maximum pressure on Milosevic's regime to accept the international community's five demands and stop the brutal campaign of torture, forced deportation and murder in Kosovo. It reaffirmed the EU's commitment to contributed fully to the humanitarian effort to relieve the plight of the refugees displaced by Milosevic's policy.
Following the adoption of a Common Position for an EU oil embargo against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) on 23 April, the Council agreed to extend the existing EU sanctions regime in the following ways: a travel ban on Milosevic, his government, senior officials and their families, and on other persons close to the regime; extension of the scope of the freeze of funds; prohibition on private sector provision of export finance in addition to the existing ban on government financed export credit support; extension of the investment ban; widening the scope of the prohibition on the export of equipment for internal repression, and its extension to include goods, services, technology and equipment for the purpose of restoring/repairing assets damaged in the air strikes; discouragement of Member States and sporting organisations from organising sporting events with the FRY; and imposition of a comprehensive flight ban between the EU and the FRY.
The Council also reiterated its strong support for Montenegro, Albania and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). It welcomed the intention of the European Commission to examine urgently the upgrading of relations between the EU and Albania and the EU and FYROM towards an Association Agreement.
The Council adopted a separate declaration in support of Romania and Bulgaria and agreed to continue work on a possible stability pact for South Eastern Europe.
East Timor
The Portuguese Foreign Minister briefed the Council on the latest round of tripartite talks on East Timor in New York (22-23 April) which concluded that the East Timorese would be consulted on their future status on 8 August. The Irish Foreign Minister also briefed the Council on his recent visit to East Timor.
The Council reiterated its concern at the continuing violence in East Timor and reminded the Indonesian Government of its obligation to maintain security in the territory. The Council asked its relevant bodies and the Commission to consider urgently possible measures
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to support the consultation process, provide humanitarian assistance, and develop economic and social programmes for the East Timorese.
Niger
The Council agreed that the assassination of President Bare of Niger on 9 April constituted a breach of the essential elements of the Lome Convention, and that Article 366a procedure should be set in motion. This may lead to the full or partial suspension of co-operation with Niger under the Lome Convention.
Statute for Members of the European Parliament
The Council reached agreement on a Statute for MEPs. The main elements of the package are: a monthly gross salary of 5,677.22 euro for all MEPs paid by the Community and annually updated in line with inflation; salary to be subject to Community taxation, with an option for Member States to impose an additional top-up national tax; reimbursement of expenses actually incurred in the performance of Parliamentary duties, duly justified by the presentation of invoices; new Community pension scheme; social security provision; and a publicly available Register of MEP's interests.
The text will now be transmitted to the European Parliament for approval. We hope the Statute can enter into force on 20 July, when the new European Parliament meets.
Implementation of the Amsterdam Treaty
The Presidency presented a paper on work in progress to prepare for entry into force of the Amsterdam Treaty. There was some discussion on ECJ preparations for the new Treaty and Commission plans to implement the new data protection and transparency provisions.
Implementation of the Schengen Protocol
The Council gave political agreement to the draft decisions defining and determining a legal base for the Schengen acquis, subject to any technical amendments necessary as a result of the Schengen Executive Committee meeting on 28 April. The Council also approved the draft Schengen/Norway and Iceland agreement, the draft rules of procedure of the Norway/ Iceland Mixed Committee and the draft decision on arrangements for implementing the Norway/Iceland agreement.
Russia: Common Strategy
The Council considered preparation of the EU Common Strategy on Russia and welcomed the progress made. It agreed to take work forward so that the Common Strategy could be adopted at the Cologne European Council on 3-4 June.
EU/US Relations
There was discussion of current EU/US trade disputes. Sir Leon Brittan reported on his discussions in Washington on the bananas, hormones and hushkits disputes. On bananas, the Council welcomed the WTO's decision considerably to reduce US sanctions against the EU, and underlined the importance of fully respecting the WTO's rulings without delay. The Council invited the Commission to submit proposals for amending the banana regime by the end of May. On hormones, the Council urged the Commission to intensify its negotiations with the US and Canada with a view to reaching agreement on a compensation package and future possible options for the labelling of meat from hormone-treated cattle. On
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hushkits, the Council underlined the importance of quickly reaching a mutually satisfactory solution with the US on this issue.
Burma
The Council renewed the Common Position on Burma for a further six months, expressing its deep concern at continuing human rights violations and repression of the democratic opposition in Burma. It called again on the Burmese regime to take early and concrete steps towards democracy, respect for human rights, and national reconciliation.
Co-operation Council with Ukraine
The Ukrainians described recent developments in the economic situation and noted the need for suitable arrangements for Ukraine's free trade arrangements with Poland and Estonia post enlargement. There was also discussion about the closure of Chernobyl, Justice and Home Affairs issues and Kosovo.
Association Councils
Following the GAC there were successful meetings of the Association Councils with Slovakia, Romania and Estonia on 27 April. They took stock of the preparations for EU membership, and considered the operation of the Europe Agreements. Over lunch the participants discussed Kosovo, Russia and relations with neighbouring countries, including regional co-operation--this included Black Sea Economic Co-operation, Moldova and the Northern dimension.
South Africa
The Commission expects to have its proposal to allow signature of the EU/South Africa Trade, Development and Co-operation Agreement ready in May. The Commission noted that the majority of Member States want a mixed Agreement.
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