| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Qualified Majority Voting
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Gainsborough (Mr. Leigh) of 22 June 1999, Official Report, columns 354-55, on qualified majority voting, when the decision to hold a European Union Inter-Governmental Conference in 2000 was made; what are the main headings and items to be considered at that conference; and what steps Her Majesty's Government have taken to publicise the conference. [89393]
Ms Quin: The decision to hold an Inter-Governmental conference (IGC) in 2000 was made at the Cologne European Council on 3-4 June. The items to be considered are set out in the Presidency conclusions, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister reported on the decision to hold the Conference in his Statement to the House of 8 June 1999, Official Report, columns 463-79. The Government will ensure that Parliament is kept fully informed of developments in the IGC.
Internal Histories
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 15 June 1999, Official Report, column 116, for what reason the titles of internal histories remain classified; what the level of classification is; and how many internal histories exist. [89808]
Mr. Hoon: Titles of internal histories less than 30 years old which have not yet been cleared for release or publication remain confidential, because to disclose such information would be premature in relation to publication plans under Exemption 10 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
The level of classifications vary and include up to Secret. The number of internal histories held by the FCO is not recorded centrally. So far 15 have been identified.
European Budget
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 22 February 1999, Official Report, column 197, concerning activities authorised under lines 3706 and 3708 of the EU budget, when he will deposit the substantive reply in the Library. [89810]
Ms Quin: I wrote to the right hon. Member for Penrith and The Borders (Mr. Maclean) on this subject on 22 March. Through an administration error, copies of my letter were not deposited in the Libraries of each House at the time. I have now arranged for copies to be sent.
Debriefing (Ambassador)
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions
7 Jul 1999 : Column: 577
Ministers from his Department have debriefed ambassadors from British business; if such ambassadors are required to declare this position in meetings with foreign representatives of Government; if Government policy is discussed; and if he will make a statement. [89821]
Mr. Hoon:
The Ambassadors for British Business attended a working meeting with Ministers in July 1998.
When making appointments for the Ambassadors for British Business our overseas posts make clear to interlocutors their status.
The Ambassadors for British Business are provided with briefing on British government policy for them to use as they feel appropriate. They are, however, free to express their own views during their Ambassador for British Business engagements. The objective of their role is to promote the UK's wider British Commercial interests drawing on their own experience and expertise.
Mr. Burden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action his Department is taking to encourage a settlement of the border dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea and a cessation of the deportations between the two countries; and if he will make a statement. [89861]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
We have made frequent and regular representations to the Governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea, at all levels, both bilaterally and through the European Union. Our message has been clear: both sides must stop fighting immediately and implement the OAU Framework peace proposals.
We have urged both sides to respect the rights of civilian populations. The Ethiopian Government have assured us that their policy of expulsion of Eritreans has now stopped. The Eritrean Government maintain that the Ethiopians leaving Eritrea have done so voluntarily. I discussed the situation with OAU Secretary-General Salim Salim on 28 May and underlined our continued support for the OAU Framework peace proposals.
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will ensure that when a Minister of his Department next visits Turkey he or she discusses with the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Turkey the lack of response to letters that have been sent to him by the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, regarding the decision taken by the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Mrs. Loizidou v. Turkey; and if he will make a statement. [89817]
Ms Quin:
We continue to make clear to Turkey, including in the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers' Deputies, the need to respect the European Court of Human Rights' judgment in the case of Loizidou v. Turkey. We supported the decision of the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers to write to the Turkish Foreign Minister on 22 June requesting clarification from
7 Jul 1999 : Column: 578
Turkey on how it intends to implement the judgment. We look forward to his response, and will be interested to hear what progress is being made on the issue when we next meet at Ministerial level.
Mr. Green:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to improve the conditions of ethnic minorities in Burma. [89937]
Mr. Hoon:
We take every opportunity to try to improve the conditions of ethnic minorities in Burma. We raise concerns both here and in Rangoon directly with the regime, most recently about repression in Kayah and Chin States. We are also active in international forums, for example co-sponsoring UN resolutions which put pressure on the regime to improve the human rights situation. We were instrumental in the adoption of a resolution by the International Labour Conference on 17 June which stated that Burma's behaviour, notably the continued use of forced labour (a major burden on ethnic minorities), was incompatible with ILO membership. And we support the work of the Burma Consortium for those who have fled regime repression.
Mr. Fabian Hamilton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what influence he is bringing to bear on behalf of the UK Government to stop the violence in Kashmir. [89893]
Mr. Hoon:
As longstanding friends of Pakistan and India, we are deeply concerned by the continuing fighting in the Kargil sector of Jammu and Kashmir following armed infiltration across the Line of Control. My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary and I, and our High Commissions in Islamabad and New Delhi, have urged both countries to work to lower tensions and to refrain from action which might escalate the fighting. We have reinforced our concerns in the EU statements of 27 May and 24 June and the conclusions on G8 Foreign Ministers on 31 May and heads of Government on 19 June.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 29 June 1999, Official Report, column 116, on MOX shipments, if he will place that advice in the Library. [89814]
Mr. Hoon:
The Government's position on this matter was recently re-examined by the DTI in the course of preparing a response to a letter on the same subject which my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. Burden) sent to my colleague the Minister for Energy and Industry. The Minister's reply to my hon. Friend for Northfield sets out the detailed conclusions reached and reflects the advice of the UK Safeguards Office. This was the same advice as that on which I based my earlier statement. A copy of that reply has now been placed in the Library.