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PRIME MINISTER
Fox Hunting
Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the Government's policy in respect of the banning of fox hunting. [94620]
The Prime Minister: We believe that hunting with hounds should be the subject of a free vote, as we said in our manifesto. Right hon. and hon. Members had an opportunity to vote on the issue last year when the House considered the Private Member's Bill of my hon. Friend the Member for Worcester (Mr. Foster). The Bill's progress was frustrated by its opponents and did not become law.
Ascension Airbase
Mr. Bob Russell: To ask the Prime Minister what progress has been made on discussions between the UK and USA Governments about enabling commercial aircraft to use the airbase on Ascension. [95316]
The Prime Minister: In December 1998 the UK passed a draft treaty to allow certain types of civil flights into Ascension to the US Authorities for consideration.
During the visit of my noble Friend Baroness Scotland to the United States on 4-5 October 1999, the US Government confirmed in principle that the airfield should be opened to certain types of civil flights on a limited basis.
We are encouraging the United States to complete their internal discussions and to secure a mandate for formal negotiations to begin. British Embassy officials in Washington will soon meet US State Department officials to take this issue forward.
Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Prime Minister what changes have been made to the running and organisation of the Government Department which directly serves the Prime Minister since the summer adjournment began; and what further reorganisation or changes in structure he contemplates. [94575]
The Prime Minister:
In addition to the staff in my office in 10 Downing street, the Cabinet Office provides support to me as chairman of the Cabinet and Minister for the Civil Service. There have been no changes to the organisation or running of the Cabinet Office since the summer adjournment. Changes in the future will be made as and when necessary.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will assess the benefits of commissioning an independent and authoritative body to prepare and publish the Government's annual report. [93717]
The Prime Minister:
Both the 1997-98 and 1998-99 Annual Reports drew on publicly available facts and figures, all of which were provided by Departments. As a Government report it would not be appropriate for the Annual Report to be produced by an independent body. The National Audit Office provides independent
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information, advice and assurance to Parliament and the public about all aspects of the financial operations of Government Departments.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Prime Minister what representations the Government have received from other EU countries with regard to reviewing asylum procedures for applicants from eastern Europe. [95412]
Mr. Brake:
To ask the Prime Minister what meetings have taken place between him or his office and Balfour Beatty on the matter of the Ilisu Dam. [95099]
Mr. Swayne:
To ask the Prime Minister what is the purpose of the European Police College; and what will be studied there. [95078]
The Prime Minister:
Tackling Europe's organised crime problem effectively means that we have to ensure that police officers are properly trained and encouraged to co-operate with forces in other countries. We see the role of the European Police College, which will start off as a network of existing national training institutes, as fulfilling these functions by supporting the establishment of a common approach to tackling transnational organised crime, and by drawing together work already being carried out by individual Member States on training police officers to tackle organised crime effectively. We envisage that, over time, those trained by the college will form a Europe-wide body of expertise about European policing and cross border operations. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary, together with colleagues in other Member States, will take forward the work on establishing the College.
Mr. Jim Murphy:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the executive functions of the Secretary of State for Scotland. [95975]
The Prime Minister:
As a consequence of the new constitutional arrangements under the Scotland Act 1998, I have approved a reallocation of certain functions of the Secretary of State for Scotland to other Ministers of the Crown with appropriate functional responsibilities. Copies of an Order which was made by Her Majesty in Council on 12 October and which transfer certain of these functions have been laid before Parliament.
In addition to the transfer effected by this Order, it is proposed that certain other statutory executive functions of the Secretary of State that are currently exercised by the Secretary of State for Scotland, but which could be exercised by any other Secretary of State, should also be transferred. No legislation is required to give effect to these transfers which will be carried out by administrative arrangement. One of these is the transfer to the Home Secretary of the Secretary of State for Scotland's functions in relation to the issuing of warrants for the
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interception of communications or interference with property for national security purposes where the person or property named on the warrant is, or is reasonably believed to be, located in Scotland at the time the warrant is issued.
I have placed a paper in the Libraries of both Houses that briefly describes the content of the Transfer of Functions Order and lists the other executive functions that are to transfer.
Mr. Blizzard:
To ask the Prime Minister what steps he is taking to ensure that relevant Departments work together to tackle problems related to domestic violence. [95521]
The Prime Minister:
In June the Government published their integrated approach to tackling violence against women "Living with Fear".
My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary is taking forward this work, together with that in relation to domestic violence generally. A unit within the Home Office is responsible for ensuring that there is a coherent, consistent and properly co-ordinated approach across Government in the development and implementation of policy on tackling violence against women. Co-ordination at Ministerial level is through the Cabinet sub-Committee on Women's issues.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Prime Minister what action Her Majesty's Government are taking to ascertain details of precursor chemicals exported from the UK to South America suitable for use in the processing of drugs; and what action his Department is taking. [95546]
The Prime Minister:
Exports to South American and other countries of precursor chemicals which might be used in the illicit manufacture of drugs are controlled and monitored by the UK in accordance with the UN Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances 1988 and the relevant EU Regulation implementing these controls in the European Union.
The chemicals which are included in such controls are listed therein and subject to regular review by the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer of 19 October 1999, Official Report, column 261, what is the timetable for the action he proposes to take to counter the lack of traceability of drug money; and if he will make a statement on the range of measures he proposes to take. [95548]
The Prime Minister:
The Government strongly support action to combat money laundering and so attack the crime on which it thrives.
At the European Council meeting at Tampere we agreed a range of special concrete actions against money laundering, listed in the Presidency Conclusions. They cover a wide range of initiatives to facilitate unproved asset tracing. The United Kingdom will be pressing for the conclusions to be converted into action by the Council and Commission as quickly as possible.
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