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GCHQ (Pension Rights)
Mr. Maples: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 8 June 1999, Official Report, columns 307-08, if he is now able to estimate the cost of compensation for loss of pension rights which have been incurred in respect of the 14 former employees of GCHQ. [92459]
Mr. Robin Cook [holding answer 22 July 1999]: GCHQ officials are close to reaching agreement with the CCSU on the basis for calculating the amount of compensation in each of the 14 individual cases; there remain issues relating to tax and to the precise method of payment which may have implementations for the overall cost. It is expected these will all be resolved soon. The Government Actuaries department will then be asked to calculate the precise cost of the scheme.
Sudan
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current IGAD negotiations concerning the civil war in Sudan. [92822]
Mr. Hoon: In the run up to the current IGAD peace negotiations in Nairobi, we have been pressing the case for a comprehensive ceasefire and for the IGAD Partners Forum proposal of a secretariat which would support a sustained and accelerated negotiation.
We are following the course of the talks closely, but it is too early to confirm how successful the talks have been.
International Criminal Court Treaty
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to put forward detailed proposals for the ratification of the International Criminal Court Treaty. [92810]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
The Government will bring forward legislation to enable ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court as soon as the Parliamentary timetable permits. We are strongly committed to the Court and want to be among the first sixty States to ratify.
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Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the State Peace and Development Council in Burma concerning dialogue with the Committee Representing the People's Parliament. [92811]
Mr. Hoon:
Our policy is to press the SPDC to enter into substantive dialogue with democracy leaders, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and ethnic minority leaders. We do so regularly.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received concerning the introduction of sanctions on Burma. [92812]
Mr. Hoon:
Our leading role in international action on Burma is supported by the interest shown by the public, non-governmental organisations and pressure groups in the UK in bringing pressure to bear on the regime. Representations received include calls both for and against sanctions.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Burmese Government concerning the re-opening of universities and colleges. [92813]
Mr. Hoon:
Since universities and colleges closed in 1996, we have raised the issue with the Burmese regime on a number of occasions. We shall continue to do so. The question has also been covered in UN resolutions, most recently that of the UN Commission on Human Rights adopted in April 1999.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Governments of (a) Liberia, (b) Colombia, (c) Nigeria, (d) Sri Lanka, (e) Sudan, (f) the Democratic Republic of Congo, (g) Sierra Leone and (h) Ethiopia concerning the rehabilitation of child soldiers. [92809]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
We believe that the use of children as soldiers, in contravention of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, is one of the worst violations of children's rights. We are working to encourage and assist the demobilisation and rehabilitation of child soldiers around the world.
The majority of child soldiers today are fighting in guerilla organisations, not for governments. We therefore need to take a broad approach to the issue.
Our approach is based on a combination of support for international efforts in this field, in particular the work of the UN Special Representative for Children in Armed Conflict, Olara Otunnu, whose recent visits have included Sri Lanka, Colombia and Sudan; discussions with governments, such as the Governments of Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo and Sierra Leone; ensuring that the needs of former child soldiers are effectively addressed in any post-conflict reconstruction, eg in Sierra Leone; and, with the Department for International Development, support for practical
26 Jul 1999 : Column: 148
measures to address this issue, eg in Liberia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and Sierra Leone.
We have heard allegations that Ethiopia may have used child soldiers in its war with Eritrea, but we have seen no evidence to confirm this. We continue to monitor the situation. We are not aware of any reports of the use of child soldiers in Nigeria.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the (a) mandate and (b) composition of the 13 July High Level Group for Kosovo and the Western Balkans. [92828]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
At the Cologne Summit of 20 June, the Heads of State of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the UK and the US directed that the economic reconstruction process be guided by the High Level Steering Group. The first meeting of this group took place on 13 July under the joint chairmanship of Yves Thibault de Silguy of the European Commission and James Wolfensohn of the World Bank, and was attended by Finance Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, the US and Finland, the Managing Director of the IMF, the President of the EIB and the President of the EBRD, the Special Co-ordinator of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe, and the Deputy Secretary-General to the UN.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date he last used a train in the course of his official duties. [92753]
Mr. Robin Cook
[holding answer 23 July 1999]: In accordance with the terms of the Ministerial Code, Ministers are required always to make efficient and cost-effective travel arrangements. The last time I used a train in the course of my official duties was on Saturday 26 June to travel to Gatwick Airport to board a commercial flight to Rio de Janeiro to attend the EU Latin America and Caribbean Summit.
Mr. Nigel Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations with Botswana. [93161]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
Relations between the UK and Botswana are excellent, and several thousand British citizens live and work in Botswana. British exports to Botswana amounted to around £20 million last year, while imports from Botswana amounted to about £77 million. The Department for International Development maintains an aid programme in-country aimed at poverty reduction, education, HIV/AIDS awareness and public sector reform. The British Council is engaged by the Government of Botswana to recruit teachers from the UK, and to place trainees in UK institutions.
Mr. Maples:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list with dates and
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details all public interest immunity certificates he has issued since 1 May 1997. [92733]
Mr. Tony Lloyd
[holding answer 23 July 1999]: Details of the two public interest immunity certificates signed by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs since 1 May 1997 are as follows:
| Date | Case |
|---|---|
| 30 October 1998 | R v. Mullen |
| 10 April 1999 | Paul and John Grecian v. HM Customs and Excise |
In both cases, disclosure of the documents referred to in the certificates would have caused real harm to the work of the security and intelligence agencies.
In addition, one certificate was signed by another Foreign Office Minister, Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean, on 26 September 1997 in the case of Rowland and Norgen v. Bock and Gouden Akker Properties. Disclosure of the document referred to in the certificate would have caused serious harm to the UK's foreign relations and could have revealed the identity of an informant.
Mr. Syms:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the postal services between the United Kingdom and Yugoslavia will be returned to the level applying before the recent military operation. [92638]
Mr. Tony Lloyd
[holding answer 23 July 1999]: The United Nations civilian presence in Kosovo has identified 10 key areas which are priorities for rehabilitation. The postal service is one of these.
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