| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Serbia
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if, in the context of aid for Serbia, assistance to reconstruct a hospital is humanitarian assistance or reconstruction. [89973]
Clare Short: We will consider the provision of humanitarian assistance to Serbia on a case by case basis. We would assist with the provision of hospital facilities if they were an immediate humanitarian need which could not be met from other sources. We are not aware of any such needs.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Millennium Compliance
Mr. White: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish information about preparations made by other countries to deal with the millennium bug. [90106]
Mr. Hoon: Action 2000 are summarising on their website information which is already publicly available from other countries' official Year 2000 web pages. This is designed to assist businesses by providing the information in one place. In addition the Government are in the process of gathering local information which will be placed on the FCO website.
Chile
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has held with the Government of Chile concerning (a) its legal process and (b) the immunity of members of the armed forces from prosecution. [88893]
Mr. Tony Lloyd [holding answer 1 July 1999]: We have not held discussions with the Government of Chile concerning these matters. My understanding is that members of the Chilean armed services do not have "immunity from prosecution" under Chilean law.
Ministerial Visits
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) on what dates Ministers in his Department plan to be absent from the office in 1999; [89615]
- (2) if he will list the overseas visits proposed for (a) himself and (b) Ministers in his Department between 1 July and 1 December. [89614]
Mr. Robin Cook
[holding answer 2 July 1999]: It is not possible to provide a definitive list as my visits programme is under constant review, but during the period 1 July-1 December 1999 I expect, on present plans, to make a number of visits to Finland, Brussels and Luxembourg on European Union business. I intend to visit New York for the United Nations General Assembly. I will be in attendance upon Her Majesty The Queen
6 Jul 1999 : Column: 465
during her State Visit to Ghana and Mozambique. I will visit South Africa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting.
I, and Ministers in my Department, will also undertake a number of bilateral visits. Our bilateral programme is currently under consideration, but I am already committed to visit Estonia in July and Japan in September.
Mr. Reed:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the (a) persecution of the Hmong people in Vietnam and (b) migration of the Hmong peoples from their ancestral homelands; and what discussions he has had with his international counterparts about the protection of minorities in Vietnam. [89463]
Mr. Hoon:
The Government receive regular reports from our Embassy in Hanoi of the persecution of Hmong Christians in Vietnam; and regularly raises human rights concerns with the Vietnamese Government.
The late Derek Fatchett raised our human rights concerns with the Vietnamese Foreign Minister during last year's ASEM II meeting in London, and again with the Vietnamese Ambassador earlier this year. The Embassy, together with other EU Embassies, regularly raises with the Vietnamese Government concerns about human rights, including on individual Hmong Christian detainees, and will continue to do so.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of the Solomon Islands regarding the recent activities of the Guadalcanal Liberation Army. [89526]
Mr. Hoon:
The British High Commissioner in Honiara has been in close contact with the Solomon Islands Prime Minister and Government since the escalation of the ethnic unrest. In response to requests from the Solomon Islands Prime Minister the Department for International Development is providing £50,000 to the Solomon Islands Red Cross to help displaced Malaitans and we are providing a vehicle to assist the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force. We are also exploring with EU partners the possibility of EU assistance.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the British embassies in which locally engaged staff are paid less than the UK national minimum wage. [89872]
Mr. Tony Lloyd
[holding answer 5 July 1999]: This salary information is not held centrally and to provide it for 220 Diplomatic Posts worldwide would incur disproportionate cost.
The salary scales and conditions of service of locally engaged staff vary from country to country. Salary scales are set by reference to comparable employers based locally at a level which enables posts to recruit, retain and motivate suitable staff.
6 Jul 1999 : Column: 466
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his policy towards the continuation of the trade embargos on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, indicating the proportion of global shipping that is subject to the stop and search regime. [89820]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
Our aim is to continue to use sanctions to maintain pressure for democratic reform in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The search and visit regime prepared by NATO has not been put into effect following the termination of NATO's military action against the FRY.
Mr. Fabian Hamilton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what he is doing to assist the peoples of Kashmir to determine their own future. [89892]
Mr. Hoon:
We believe that any solution, if it is to be permanent and acceptable, must involve, and reflect the views of, the people of Kashmir. Our role, and that of others who wish India and Pakistan well, is to encourage both countries to resolve, through dialogue, the issues between them.
Mr. Fabian Hamilton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received concerning whether the current shelling in and around Kashmir was caused by infiltrators. [89891]
Mr. Hoon:
We are clear that the current fighting, including shelling by both sides, in the Kargil sector of Jammu and Kashmir was instigated by the infiltration of a large number of armed personnel across the Line of Control.
Mr. David Heath:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of the United States of America on the future of the Indian Ocean territories. [89676]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
We hold annual bilateral talks at official level, with the United States, to discuss the British Indian Ocean Territory. This year they were held in May. At these talks both delegations agreed on the continuing strategic importance of the defence facility in Diego Garcia, including in operations against Iraq.
Mr. Llwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the United States administration on the effects of the Helms Burton Act on Cuba; and if he will make a statement. [89827]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
We have made it clear to the US that we entirely reject the use of extraterritorial legislation such as Helms Burton. We have consistently told the Americans that the best way of encouraging reform in Cuba is to convince the Cubans themselves, through dialogue and co-operation, of the need for change.
6 Jul 1999 : Column: 467
Sir Teddy Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received about the persecution and the resultant migrations of Christians in Chechnya. [89998]
Ms Quin:
We are aware of unconfirmed reports that some Christians have left Chechnya. But we have no clear evidence to show whether this is as a result of persecution, or local political instability, or the collapse of social support structures in Chechnya. We are discussing the situation with NGO's connected to the region.
Mr. Coleman:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans his Department has for Her Majesty's Prison, Aldington; and if he will make a statement. [89306]
Mr. Straw:
Following a review of the projected future requirements of both the Prison Service and the Immigration Service, it has been agreed that Her Majesty's Prison, Aldington should be closed by the end of August 1999 and the site handed over to the Immigration Service to pursue its development as an Immigration detention centre.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |