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Chief Constable (Meetings)
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list and state the duration of visits made and meetings attended by the RUC Chief Constable involving (a) community or other groups perceived to be of Nationalist or Catholic affiliation, (b) community or other groups perceived to be of Unionist or Protestant affiliation and (c) cross-community groups in the last year. [89917]
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Mr. Ingram:
Records of visits and meetings are not maintained in a way that would allow provision of the analysis requested. However, the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary has always made himself available to respond to invitations to visit and attend meetings with groups of all perceived affiliations in the Province. He is not influenced by whether this perceived affiliation might be Nationalist, Catholic, Unionist, Protestant, Cross-community or other.
EC Development Assistance Programmes
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Prime Minister if it is Government policy to restrict spending increases allotted to EC development assistance programmes; and if he will make a statement. [89735]
The Prime Minister: The Government seek to spend the United Kingdom's international development budget on those programmes which are most effective in contributing to the achievement of the international poverty eradication targets.
During negotiations for the period 1993-99, the previous administration agreed to increase the amount of money allocated to the EC's development programmes by 180 per cent. This increase means that the UK now channels 30 per cent. of its international development budget through the EC. Owing to concerns about the effectiveness and impact of the EC's development assistance programmes, the UK successfully sought to hold down the level of growth to 1 per cent. for international development expenditure in the negotiations for 2000-06.
At the end of last year, the Department for International Development published a strategy paper setting out detailed proposals for strengthening its collaboration with the EC to improve the poverty focus and effectiveness of its programmes. Copies were placed in the Library.
Mr. Gummer:
To ask the Prime Minister how many business men have paid individual courtesy calls on him at No. 10 Downing Street since he took office; how many were citizens of the United States; and how many had no business activities within the United Kingdom. [90364]
The Prime Minister:
I frequently meet many people in the course of my duties and this properly includes business men from here and abroad. It is the job of the British Prime Minister to promote this country as a place to invest, boosting British jobs and prosperity. I have done this on many occasions and will continue to do so.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the Government department responsible for supplying the UK delegate to each European Community working group. [90436]
The Prime Minister:
The UK's Permanent Representation is staffed by FCO officials and officials seconded to the FCO from various Whitehall Departments. UKREP staff report to the UK Permanent Representative and represent the Government as a whole. Seconded staff
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generally work in the Section which deals with the issues handled by their home department and attend the relevant working groups.
Mr. Field:
To ask the Prime Minister what is his estimate of the amount of arms possessed by the IRA. [90302]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 8 July 1999]: It is not possible to be specific in this matter. I can, however, say that substantial amounts of firearms, munitions and explosives are illegally held by various groups in Northern Ireland.
Sir Richard Body:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will list those articles he has written in his official capacity for foreign newspapers and journals since 3 February. [90847]
The Prime Minister:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the right hon. Member for Penrith and The Border (Mr. Maclean) and the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) on 26 April 1999, Official Report, columns 11-12.
Sir Richard Body:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the content of his discussions with KLA officials on 18 May; and if he will indicate who arranged the meeting. [90845]
The Prime Minister:
The KLA briefed me on the situation on Kosovo and requested assistance for internally displaced people in Kosovo. I took the opportunity to call for unity among Kosovo Albanian groups. The meeting was arranged by the British Embassy in Tirana.
Mr. Peter Bottomley:
To ask the Prime Minister on what recent occasions he has stated that he had not started to consider the next round of ministerial changes; and if he will place transcripts of the relevant statements in the Library. [90750]
The Prime Minister:
I was asked about this in an interview with the BBC R4 Today programme about Northern Ireland. I am placing a transcript of the relevant part in the Library.
Mr. Peter Bottomley:
To ask the Prime Minister when his official spokesman briefed lobby journalists about his colleagues' prospects in the next round of ministerial changes; and when he was authorised to do so. [90749]
The Prime Minister:
He has not done so.
Mr. Burns:
To ask the Prime Minister what percentage of mail received in the last 12 months for which figures are available from right hon. and hon. Members was replied to by him within (a) up to 20 days, (b) 21 to 30 days, (c) 31 to 40 days and (d) over 40 days. [90166]
The Prime Minister:
Information is not recorded in the form requested. The majority of such correspondence is acknowledged as quickly as possible by my Office, and Ministers in the relevant Government Department are
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asked to reply. However, my Office has undertaken a check of the letters to which I reply personally, and over the past two months I have replied to almost 60 per cent. of hon. Members within 20 days. I always endeavour to reply as quickly as possible to all my correspondence.
Mr. Chope:
To ask the Prime Minister (1) how many copies of the Government's 1997-98 Annual report were published; and at what cost to public funds; [90959]
(3) how many responses he received to the invitation contained in the Government's 1997-98 Annual report for people to notify him of their priorities for the year ahead; [90961]
(4) what date he intends to publish the Government's Annual report 1998-99. [90969]
The Prime Minister:
This year's Annual Report will be published towards the end of this month. A summary of the responses and comments received on last year's Report will be placed in the Library to coincide with this publication, together with the total number of such responses.
Last year, 20,000 copies of the report were produced. This number was determined by The Stationery Office in accordance with the normal procedures they undertake for establishing the required print run for Government documents. As was made public on the day of publication, the direct cost to public funds of preparing the Report for publication was £96,000.
Mr. Paul Marsden:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will ensure that a portrait of Charles Darwin is displayed at No. 10 Downing Street. [90802]
The Prime Minister:
The Government Art Collection (GAC) advise on the pictures to be hung in 10 Downing Street. The pictures are changed periodically as those loaned to the house are returned to the collection from which they have been drawn. I agree that Charles Darwin is a significant figure in British history and I will ask the Curator of the GAC to consider my hon. Friend's suggestion at an appropriate point.
Mr. Green:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what meetings he or his junior Ministers have had with (a) Friends of the Earth and (b) the National Farmers Union to discuss genetically modified crops; [88784]
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Mr. Meale
[holding answer 28 June 1999]: Ministers in this Department are in regular contact with representatives of those with an interest in biotechnology--including environmental groups, consumer groups and biotechnology companies. It is not the normal practice of Governments to give details of specific meetings with private individuals or companies.
Mr. McGrady:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the recent report entitled, Organic Farming and Gene Transfer from Genetically Modified Crops; and if he will make a statement [89151]
Mr. Meale:
The report looked at organic farming and the issue of 'contamination' of organic crops and products by genetically modified (GM) crops. The issues raised by the report are ones not of safety but of consumer choice. No GM crops would be released into the environment if there were any reasons to believe that it would be harmful to human health or the environment. The recently published SCIMAC (Supply Chain Initiative on Modified Agricultural Crops) guidelines set out proposed separation distances between genetically modified and organic crops and SCIMAC has indicted that it is willing to review these in the light of experience.
(2) if he will place in the Library a summary of the response and comments received on the Government's 1997-98 Annual report; [90960]
(Charles Darwin Portrait)
(2) what plans (a) he and (b) his Ministerial colleagues have to meet representatives of Friends of the Earth; and when the next such meeting is due to take place. [89951]
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