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Trade Statistics
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the source of the statistics used in the section Trade in Goods, under International Trade, of his booklet, "The British Economy". [84096]
Mr. Robin Cook: The United Kingdom Balance of Payments (The Pink Book) 1997.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the statistical source for levels of imports and exports provided in his Departmental poster, Outline Britain; and what is the (a) target audience and (b) how many have been distributed. [84097]
Mr. Hoon: The statistical source was the Annual Abstract of Statistics 1998, published by the ONS.
(a) The target audience was Press and Public Affairs Officers and Commercial Officers at Diplomatic Posts.
(b) The distribution between 1 April 1998 to 31 March 1999 was 14,996.
Conference on Perceptions of Britain
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the planned (a) timing and (b) contents of the first biennial Conference on Perceptions of Britain. [84091]
Mr. Hoon:
The first conference on perceptions of Britain, recommended by Panel 2000, is planned for 23 November 1999. The content will cover interchange of information on how Britain is perceived overseas, including the results of research organised by the British Council in 12 key markets, and how better co-operation can enhance perceptions of Britain.
18 May 1999 : Column: 332
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recommendations in the Panel 2000 consultation document he has (a) adopted and (b) rejected; and if he will make a statement. [84099]
Mr. Robin Cook:
All the recommendations in the Panel 2000 Consultation document were adopted by the Panel at its meeting on 17 December 1998. This followed a broad welcome for the recommendations during the consultation process which included a wide range of public and private sector organisations; feedback will be reflected in the implementation of the recommendations now underway. Individual participants in the Panel are engaged in the implementation process. The full Panel will meet again in the second half of this year to assess progress.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 11 May 1999, Official Report, column 119, on information technology, how much of the expenditure incurred was connected with millennium computer compliance. [84515]
Mr. Hoon:
None of the total of £44 million can be specifically identified as being directly related to achieving Y2K compliance. However, the expenditure forms part of the FCO's modernisation programme, which, by replacing obsolete IT, is helping to achieve that compliance.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to review his Department's current advice about travel to Uganda. [84572]
Mr. Hoon:
All travel advice is reviewed routinely on a monthly basis and more frequently when there is reason to do so.
The travel advice for Uganda was last revised on 17 May. Because of the variety and fluidity of risks to travellers in Uganda the advice is constantly monitored.
Mr. HomeRobertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to be able to recognise the competence of the International Fact-finding Commission enshrined in Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions. [84793]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
I am pleased to inform the House that a declaration confirming the United Kingdom's recognition of the competence of that body was yesterday being deposited with the Swiss authorities in Berne. This further demonstrates our commitment to international humanitarian law, following our ratification of the Additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions in January 1998, our ratification of the Ottawa Convention in July 1998 and our acceptance of Amended Protocol II and Additional Protocol IV to the UN Weaponry Convention earlier this year.
18 May 1999 : Column: 333
Mr. Stringer:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what instructions have been issued to overseas diplomatic posts to restrict their involvement in the promotion of tobacco products following the publication of the Tobacco White Paper in December. [84843]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
We have issued the following guidelines to overseas posts:
18 May 1999 : Column: 334
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) civil servants and (b) special advisers involved in media relations were employed within his Department at 1 May (i) 1997, (ii) 1998 and (iii) 1999. [84193]
Mr. Hoon:
Detailed information on the numbers of permanent civil servants employed in Departmental Press Offices during the financial years 1997-98 and 1998-99 was provided in a memorandum to the Select Committee on Public Administration and published in its report on 'The Government Information and Communication Service' (HC 770) in July 1998. A copy is in the Library of the House. There are at present 17.7 such staff in the FCO.
"1. The Government's White Paper on Tobacco, presented to Parliament in December 1998, contained the following sentences concerning the role of Posts overseas:
"We are not in the business of banning the production or export of tobacco products, and the DTI and our embassies will continue to provide advice, to which UK companies are entitled, in the sale of legal products. However, in keeping with the current practice of Ministers and officials not becoming involved in the advertising or promotion of tobacco products at home, guidelines will shortly be issued to our diplomatic posts instructing them to be scrupulous to ensure that they follow suit overseas, taking into account local circumstances."
Guidelines:
2. Posts must no longer directly promote products containing tobacco, whether through advertising or through publicly associating HMG with their sale, especially where this might be misconstrued as some form of government endorsement or approval of them. However, given the general, non-discriminatory basis of British Trade International services and other UK government support for business--which, as a matter of principle, are available to all British companies, provided their products are mainly of UK origin and are legal--Posts should nonetheless, if approached, offer support and advice to assist UK tobacco companies through the provision of trade, investment and political information. While it may be true that such companies rarely, in any case, seek HMG assistance in their exporting effort, it will be important that Posts scrupulously adhere to these new guidelines, after taking into account local circumstances. Posts should bear in mind that the international tobacco control lobby is increasingly well organised, and pressure groups may seek to highlight any apparently controversial involvement in any event sponsored by a tobacco company.
3. It follows from the above that Posts should not inter alia be associated in any way with the promotion of the tobacco industry, for example by accepting advertisements for UK or local tobacco products in publications issued by the Post, or sponsorship from tobacco companies for their activities, including Chevening Scholarships. Nor should they attend or otherwise support receptions or high profile events--especially those where a tobacco company is the sole or main sponsor--which are overtly to promote tobacco products, such as the official opening of a UK tobacco factory overseas; events where tobacco sponsorship is more low-key (for example, among several sponsors of a visiting orchestra) can be attended. Posts may also continue to offer assistance to UK tobacco companies in other ways, such as in resolving business problems--customs or port clearance, smuggling, trademark violations etc--that are potentially discriminatory. They may also provide information and assistance on foreign country policies and investment opportunities including advice to help them comply with foreign government laws or regulations.
4. In short, unless otherwise specified above, Posts should not support activities designed specifically to encourage smoking. Posts have the delegated authority to decide for themselves whether any proposed action on their part is in keeping with these new regulations, but may refer to London for decision--to the FCO geographical department (if there are political implications) or JEPD--where this is felt necessary.
5. The White Paper also stressed the Government's wish to encourage and support the efforts of other countries to strengthen their own tobacco control strategies. Requests for help, particularly with expertise, should be passed to the Department of Health (Health Promotion Division).
6. These guidelines will take effect from 1 June 1999."
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