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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Jarinabanu Fakir Mohmed Khalifa
Mr. Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the explanatory statement relating to Jarinabanu Fakir Mohmed Khalifa, Bombay reference R/98/3813 will be forwarded. [82755]
Mr. Fatchett [holding answer 30 April 1999]: The Explanatory Statement relating to Jarinabanu Fakir Mohmed Khalifa was sent to the Appeals Registry at the Home Office on 19 January.
Burma
Mr. Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Burmese Government on the persecution of the Chin tribe. [83143]
Mr. Fatchett: We continue to monitor carefully the situation of ethnic minorities in Burma. Our Ambassador visited Chin State in early March. Our Embassy in Rangoon regularly raise the plight of ethnic minorities in Burma directly with the authorities, most recently on 5 May. We also supported the UN Commission on Human Rights resolution on Burma, adopted on 23 April, which deplored the human rights violations of ethnic minorities and called on the regime to stop such violations.
Zimbabwe High Commission
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) employees and (b) diplomats accredited to the Zimbabwe High Commission are entitled to diplomatic immunity. [83552]
Mr. Tony Lloyd: The Zimbabwe High Commission employs 38 staff. Of these, 15 are diplomats and entitled to diplomatic immunity.
Diplomatic Immunity
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he proposes to take in relation to Mr. X., who has claimed diplomatic immunity in relation to an alleged serious assault on Mr. Y., details of the incident and the identities of Mr. X. and Mr. Y. having been supplied by letter to his Department. [83550]
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Mr. Tony Lloyd:
An official from this Department wrote to the Acting Head of the relevant diplomatic mission on 4 May, requesting information on a number of issues. My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Baroness Symons, will reply to my hon. Friend's letter as soon as possible.
Mr. Wareing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people were displaced from their homes in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the conflict there; and how many have since returned. [83491]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
UNHCR estimate that, at the time of the Dayton Peace Agreement (December 1995), there were more than 525,000 refugees in the region, along with 1.2 million internally-displaced persons (IDPs). Since Dayton, nearly 550,000 of the two million refugees and IDPs have returned to their homes in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Mr. Wareing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what co-operation is being afforded NATO in its operation against Yugoslavia by Croatia. [83493]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
The Government of Croatia have allowed NATO full use of their airspace for operations against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and agreed to NATO's request to cut the Croatia/FRY oil pipeline.
Mr. Wareing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role is being played by Turkey in NATO's operations in Yugoslavia. [83489]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
NATO operates by consensus. Like all Allies, Turkey takes part fully in the Alliance decision-making process.
Turkey's military contribution to NATO operations in the FRY currently comprises 11 F-16 fighter aircraft in addition to transport aircraft and a frigate. It also has forces stationed in Albania with NATO's humanitarian support operations.
Mr. Nigel Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the future location of GCHQ. [83810]
Mr. Robin Cook:
I have agreed with Treasury colleagues that the project overall offers good value for the taxpayer, and I have authorised the Director of GCHQ to continue to negotiate with GSL through to contract signature. I have selected the current GCHQ site at Benhall in Cheltenham as the location for the new GCHQ building, subject to final agreement on a number of outstanding matters. I made the decision having regard to the Government's sustainable transport policies. I am very pleased that the long-standing association between GCHQ and Cheltenham is to be maintained.
7 May 1999 : Column: 475
Mr. Yeo:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) by what method it is his practice to inform Parliament of changes in membership of the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment; [81388]
(3) when he will announce the new members of the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment. [81406]
Mr. Meacher
[holding answer 19 April 1999]: I announced my intention to review the membership and remit of the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE) in my statement to the House of Lords on 21 October 1998. The term of office of the members of ACRE appointed in June 1996 ends on 17 June 1999 and a statement on the changes in membership will be made in due course.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the maximum distance he assumes bees can travel when setting isolation distances for genetically modified trial crops. [81408]
Mr. Meacher
[holding answer 20 April 1999]: There is no maximum distance to which it can be guaranteed that bees will travel. But, in general, bee foraging behaviour is well understood and one member of ACRE is an expert on bees and their behaviour. When foraging a crop with high flower density, a bee may fly for some metres, possibly hundreds of metres, to a particular area of the crop. ACRE always take account of pollen dispersal by bees and its likely consequences. Based on the type of GM plant, how it has been modified and the circumstances of the proposed release, it may be judged necessary to minimise the potential for cross-pollination of neighbouring sexually compatible crops or wild relatives by the GM plants. The precautions taken to prevent or reduce cross-pollination may include the removal of flowers or the setting of specific isolation distances between GM and non-GM plants or borders of non-GM plants around the plots of GM plants. Where isolation distances are set, these are not intended to prevent pollen spread but to reduce pollen spread as far as is practically possible.
Mr. Gareth R. Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will set out the steps and timescale the Government are working to in developing a national emissions trading scheme; and if he will make a statement. [82641]
Mr. Meacher:
The Government fully recognise the potential benefits of a national carbon emissions trading scheme, particularly in allowing business to deliver
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greenhouse gas reductions as cost effectively as possible, and in preparing business for any international emissions trading scheme established under the Kyoto Protocol. We are therefore taking forward the recommendation made by Lord Marshall in his report on "Economic Instruments and the Business Use of Energy", that the Government should consider a pilot trading scheme.
Development of an effective pilot trading scheme must be business-led, but with the active involvement of, and a clear steer from Government. We are therefore working with the CBI and ACBE (the Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment) to develop the pilot scheme. The next step is for the CBI and ACBE to call a meeting of interested Chief Executives and senior government officials, to commit to a timetable and resources for developing the pilot. The intention is for this meeting to take place in late June or early July, subject to availability.
Mr. Luff:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will commission an investigation into the circumstances of the road traffic accident that occurred in Wyre Piddle on 28 April in order to inform his consideration of an application from Worcestershire County Council for funding for a bypass of the village. [83004]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The investigation of road traffic accidents is a matter for the police. It will be for Worcestershire County Council to put forward any bid for funding of a bypass as part of their Local Transport Plan. The County Council will need to appraise any major scheme using the New Approach to Appraisal, of which safety is a major element. We will consider that appraisal as part of our consideration of the Local Transport Plan.
the Environment
(2) by what method he announced the change in membership of the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment; [81407]
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