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Mr. John M. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the levels of vehicle excise duty are for 40 tonne lorries in other EU countries in 1999-2000. [91117]
Ms Glenda Jackson: The Government do not hold this information. However, the Department has recently commissioned research on lorry VED rates for the EC member states.
Mr. Alan Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the average time for a substantive reply to be sent to hon. Members' correspondence; what proportion takes more than (a) four weeks, (b) six weeks and (c) eight weeks; and what is his estimate of the number of letters received in a year from hon. Members. [92448]
Mr. Meale: I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office to my hon. Friend the Member for Lincoln (Gillian Merron) on 11 June 1999, Official Report, columns 403-06, which sets out performance against departmental targets for answering correspondence from right hon. and hon. Members in the 1998 calendar year. More detailed information about the percentage of correspondence replied to within the time scales specified could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Alan Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what is the average time for a substantive reply to be sent to hon. Members' correspondence; what proportion takes more than (a) four weeks, (b) six weeks and (c) eight weeks; and what is her estimate of the number of letters received in a year from hon. Members. [92447]
Mr. Foulkes: I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office to my hon. Friend the Member for Lincoln (Gillian Merron) on 11 June 1999, Official Report, columns 403-06, which sets out performance against departmental targets for answering correspondence from right hon. and hon. Members, in the 1998 calendar year. More detailed information about the percentage of correspondence replied to within the time scales specified could be provided only at disproportionate costs.
Mr. Watts:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union for August and list the major European Union events for the next six months. [93021]
22 Jul 1999 : Column: 601
22 Jul 1999 : Column: 602
European Calendar: August 1999-January 2000
This calendar is primarily concerned with European Union matters, but certain other relevant events are also included. Events and dates quoted are based on the information available on the date of issue.
August 1999
No Council Business
September 1999
4-5 Saariselka Foreign Ministers (Informal)
10-12 Turku ECOFIN (Informal)
12-14 Tampere Agriculture Ministers (Informal)
12-14 Brussels General Affairs Council
13-17 Strasbourg European Parliament Plenary
16-17 Turku Justice and Home Affairs Ministers (Informal)
24-25 Tampere Education Ministers (Informal)
27-28 Kuopio Ministers of Housing
27-28 Brussels Agriculture Council
30 September-1 October Helsinki Ministerial Conference on Equality between Women and Men
October 1999
Florence Trade Ministers (Informal)
4-5 Luxembourg Justice and Home Affairs Council
4-5 Tampere Regional Policy Ministers
4-8 Strasbourg European Parliament Plenary
6 Luxembourg Transport Council
7 Luxembourg Internal Market
8 Luxembourg ECOFIN
11-12 Luxembourg General Affairs Council
12 Luxembourg Environment Council
15-16 Tampere Special European Council
18-19 Luxembourg Agriculture Council
22 Luxembourg Labour/Social Affairs Council
24-25 Helsinki Energy Ministers Task Force Meeting
25-29 Strasbourg European Parliament Plenary
26 Luxembourg Fisheries Council
28 Luxembourg Research Council
29 Luxembourg Justice and Home Affairs Council
November 1999
3-4 Brussels European Parliament Plenary
8 Brussels ECOFIN
8 Brussels Consumer Affairs Council
9 Brussels Industry Council
11 Brussels Development Council
12 Brussels Labour and Social Affairs Council (possible)
11-12 Helsinki Ministerial Conference on the Northern Dimension
15-16 Brussels Agriculture Council
15-16 Brussels General Affairs Council
15-19 Strasbourg European Parliament Plenary
18 Brussels Health Council
19 Brussels Youth Council
22 Brussels Fisheries Council (possible)
22-23 Brussels EU-ACP Ministerial Meeting (possible)
23 Brussels Culture/Audiovisual Council
23 Brussels Youth Council
25-26 Brussels Budget Council
26 Brussels Education Council
29 Brussels ECOFIN
29 Brussels Labour and Social Affairs Council
30 Brussels Telecommunications Council
December 1999
1-2 Brussels European Parliament Plenary
2 Brussels Energy Council
2 Brussels Research Council
2-3 Brussels Justice and Home Affairs Council
6-7 Brussels General Affairs Council
7 Brussels Internal Market Council
9-10 Brussels Transport Council
10-11 Helsinki European Council
13 Brussels ECOFIN
13-14 Brussels Environment Council
13-17 Strasbourg European Parliament Plenary
14-15 Brussels Agriculture Council
16-17 Brussels Fisheries Council
16-17 Brussels EU-ACP Council (possible)
January 2000
14 Brussels Fisheries Council
18 Brussels Budget Council
24-25 Brussels General Affairs Council
24-25 Brussels Agriculture Council
28-29 Brussels Development Council (Informal)
31 Brussels ECOFIN.
Mr. Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to publish the fifth of the reports to Parliament on Hong Kong and the implementation of the Joint Declaration. [93022]
Mr. Hoon: The fifth report in this series, covering the period January-June 1999, was published today and a copy of the report has been placed in the Library. The report includes a foreword written by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary. I commend the report to the House.
Mr. Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he intends to publish the Annual Report on Human Rights. [93023]
Mr. Tony Lloyd: The second Annual Report on Human Rights has been laid before the House as Command Paper 4404 today. Copies of the Report have also been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Greek Government on their military agreement with Armenia and Iran. [90433]
22 Jul 1999 : Column: 603
Ms Quin:
None. The recent tripartite talks between Greece, Iran and Armenia form part of an on-going dialogue begun in 1995, focusing on co-operation in the energy, tourism, industry and communications sectors. There is no defence co-operation agreement.
Mr. Maples:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the number of Kosovar Albanians imprisoned in Serbia; and if he will make a statement. [91230]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
There have been unconfirmed reports of up to 5,000 people from Kosovo detained in Serbia. The ICRC has a list of around 2,000, and has visited over 300 prisoners in the past few days. I hope that Belgrade will co-operate fully with the ICRC and that any prisoners not legitimately held can be released immediately.
Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment the Government have made of the conduct of the Ocalan trial, with particular reference to international standards; and if he will make a statement. [91907]
Ms Quin:
We are aware of the observations of 21 June by members of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly that the conduct of the trial was correct and in accordance with the applicable Turkish law. We are also aware of the concerns raised by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights with regard to the treatment of Mr. Ocalan's lawyers. We understand that an appeal is now pending. It is in the first place for the Appeal Court to review the outcome of the trial. We will continue to monitor closely the appeal proceedings.
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