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Arms Blockade (KLA)
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Prime Minister what instructions have been issued to (a) Foreign Office and (b) Ministry of Defence personnel concerning implementation of UNSCR 1160 in respect of enforcing an arms blockade on the KLA; what steps he has taken to ensure that they are compatible with the changes made, pursuant to the Legg report on Sierra Leone; and if he will make a statement. [83401]
The Prime Minister: The United Nations Security Council resolution 1160, which was adopted in March 1998, was circulated within the FCO, the MOD and to relevant posts overseas. Officials involved in work on Kosovo are aware of the scope of the arms embargo against the FRY, including the fact that it covers the sale or supply of arms to the KLA.
NATO Bombing (Yugoslavia)
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the effect of the use of graphite weapons to attack the electrical system in Yugoslavia, on (a) hospitals without auxiliary generators, (b) the nuclear installation at Vinca and (c) chemical factories. [83780]
The Prime Minister [holding answer 10 May 1999]: The UK armed forces do not hold such munitions. NATO has repeatedly made clear that the greatest of care is taken to minimise the risk of civilian casualties and damage to buildings that are not used in support of Milosevic's military machine. The need to avoid dangerous emissions from nuclear and chemical plants is taken fully into account in making decisions about targets.
Chemical Weapons
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will discuss with CBD Porton Down the basis on which the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons lists EMPTA as a compound which also has commercial uses. [82946]
The Prime Minister:
EMPTA is covered by Schedule 2 to the Chemical Weapons Convention, which the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons oversees, not because it has commercial uses, but on the grounds that it belongs to a large family of chemicals that are of potential use as precursors in the production of
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Schedule 1 chemicals--those posing the highest risk--such as the nerve agent, VX.
I can also confirm that the Chemical and Biological Defence Sector of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency at Porton Down is currently not aware of legitimate commercial uses for EMPTA.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Prime Minister what steps he is taking to ensure (a) 9.9.99 and (b) 29.2.00 computer compliance. [84100]
The Prime Minister:
Government Departments and agencies and key parts of the national infrastructure have comprehensive plans in place for addressing the millennium date change and a range of other dates which could give rise to particular problems such as 9.9.99 and 29.2.00. Action 2000, which the Government set up, has also been advising businesses, particularly small and medium sized enterprises, of the importance and methods of checking that systems will continue to operate on these dates and of setting in place contingency plans.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on progress made at the meeting with Mr. Romano Prodi on 14 April, with reference to reform of the EU. [84095]
The Prime Minister:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 7 May 1999, Official Report, columns 477.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on activities by the RAF over Iraq since the end of March. [84173]
The Prime Minister:
RAF patrols of the no fly zones remain a vital humanitarian mission in support of UN Security Council Resolution 688 which condemned Saddam Hussein's repression of the Kurds in the North and Sh'ia Muslims in the South. Since the end of March, our aircraft have been shot at or otherwise threatened some 100 times. We have, therefore, been forced to take appropriate defensive measures against Iraqi facilities that pose a threat to coalition forces.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 10 May 1999, Official Report, column 68-69, if his reference to the safe return of refugees refers to their place of origin within Kosovo. [84526]
The Prime Minister:
It is our clear intention that all the refugees should return to and live in Kosovo in conditions of security, guaranteed by an international military force. We want all those who wish to go back to their former homes to be able to do so.
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Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the dates of his visits to the United States of America to meet President Clinton since 1 May 1997. [84344]
The Prime Minister:
I have visited the United States on four occasions since 1 May 1997:
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Prime Minister how many times President Clinton has visited Britain to meet him since 1 May 1997; and on what dates. [84313]
The Prime Minister:
President Clinton has visited the UK three times since 1 May 1997:
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to promote and safeguard NHS dentistry in North East Lancashire; and if he will make a statement. [80048]
Mr. Denham:
East Lancashire Health Authority is responsible for monitoring the oral health and general dental services (GDS) in their area. Health authorities concerned about GDS provision in their area have been able to ask my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health to use his powers under Section 56 of the National Health Service Act 1977, to approve the funding of proposals submitted under the Investing in Dentistry initiative (IID), which began in September 1997, and ended this April. To date, my right hon. Friend has approved three East Lancashire Health Authority IID bids in Burnley, Nelson and Accrington, which should provide 6,400 patients from the area with the opportunity of registering with an NHS dentist.
East Lancashire Health Authority could also, if appropriate, seek the approval of my right hon. Friend, under Section 56, to employ a salaried dentist(s), or consider submitting an expression of interest under the personal dental services (PDS) scheme, which we announced on 1 January 1998. PDS is designed to help improve access to NHS dentistry, by encouraging health authorities to work with dentists to develop a variety of new arrangements to improve access to NHS dentistry.
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The strategy for NHS dentistry, which will be published in due course, will look at further ways of improving access to NHS dentistry.
Dr. Cable:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the NHS organisations which the NHS Director of Planning has assessed as failing to prepare properly for millennium computer compliance. [82820]
Mr. Denham:
The National Health Service Executive receives regular progress reports from over 500 NHS organisations and publishes all the returns on the Internet (www.imc.exec.nhs.uk/2000). The returns for the period ended 31 March 1999 will be published later this month.
The NHS Executive has announced that, in line with the common approach being adopted by members of the National Infrastructure Forum of Action 2000, it will list organisations and their state of readiness for Year 2000 based on the returns for the period ended 31 May 1999 at the forthcoming meeting on 13 July 1999.
Dr. Iddon:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what data he has collated on disabled persons who are not dying receiving terminal care. [83376]
Ms Jowell:
Palliative care is the active total care of patients whose disease no longer responds to curative treatment, focusing on the quality of life and integrating the physical, psychological, spiritual and social aspects of care. Terminal care is an important part of palliative care and usually refers to the care of patients during their last few days, weeks or months, from a point at which it becomes clear that the patient is in a state of progressive decline.
Pain therapy in palliative/terminal care must be tailored for each patient. Most patients with advanced disease will require pharmacological therapy. Strong opioids, such as diamorphine and morphine, are prescribed for severe pain and must be administered regularly to control pain and prevent pain recurring.
20-23 June 1997: G7 meeting in Denver and UN General Assembly Session in New York
On each of these visits I met President Clinton.
4-7 February 1998: Bilateral (Washington)
21 September 1998: UN General Assembly meeting (New York)
21-25 April 1999: NATO (Washington) + Bilateral (Chicago).
29 May 1997: Bilateral (London)
On each occasion I met President Clinton.
15-18 May 1998: Birmingham G8 Summit and London EU/US Summit
3 September 1998 Belfast and Omagh
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