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Arms Exports

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people are employed in his Department in examining arms export licence applications. [97061]

Mr. Hain: Lead responsibility for formulating the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's advice to the Department of Trade and Industry on individual export licence applications generally rests with the relevant geographical departments, in consultation with the Non-Proliferation Department and other functional departments as appropriate, in particular the Human Rights Policy Department and the United Nations Department. In some cases geographical departments may also consult overseas posts, for example to seek more information on proposed end-uses or end-users.

Against this background, it is not possible to give a precise figure for the number of officials involved. But a significant proportion of officials in geographical departments and in the relevant sections of the above-named functional departments have some degree of involvement in examining export licence applications. Nearly all such officials have other responsibilities which they fulfil alongside their role in export licence processing.

Iraq (Sanctions)

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response he has made to the report of the Bishop of Coventry and his ecclesiastical colleagues on their recent visit to Baghdad and their assessment of the policy of UN sanctions against Iraq. [95458]

Mr. Hain: Officials from the Foreign Office have a regular dialogue about Iraq with the Church of England through the Board for Social Responsibility's International and Development Affairs Committee. This has included discussion of the recent visit to Iraq by the Bishop of Coventry and his colleagues. We are aware of the Bishops' views on the sanctions regime on Iraq and have briefed them on the Government's position. We share the Bishops' concern for the humanitarian situation in Iraq and have undertaken to keep them informed of our continuing efforts to improve it.

OSCE Progress Report

Mr. Maples: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the South Eastern Europe Regional Table periodic report to the OSCE has been produced; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [96946]

Mr. Vaz: The Stability Pact document tasks the Special Coordinator to provide, on behalf of the Stability Pact Regional Table, periodic progress reports to the OSCE. The OSCE Summit to be held in Istanbul on 18-19 November is the next opportunity for a progress report. When the report becomes available a copy will be placed in the Library.

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Montenegro

Mr. Maples: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what security undertaking has been made by NATO to Montenegro since the end of operation Allied Force. [96944]

Mr. Vaz: No security undertakings have been made by NATO to Montenegro.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Oral Statements

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list (a) the reports published by his Department and its associated bodies, (b) the reports received from bodies set up by his Department, (c) the decisions his Department has taken and (d) events in the UK and elsewhere, since 27 July, which satisfied the criteria he uses for deciding whether to apply to make oral statements to the House when the House is sitting. [93982]

Mr. Ingram: I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by the President of the Council on 19 October 1999, Official Report, Column 429.

Pre-school Education

Mr. Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the Government's policy on pre-school education in Northern Ireland [93492]

Mr. McFall [holding answer 20 October 1999]: This Government are committed to the development of pre-school education in Northern Ireland and are taking forward a four year expansion programme, through partnership between the statutory, voluntary and private sectors, to provide over 9,000 additional pre-school places. By 2001-02, £38 million will have been spent in almost doubling pre-school education provision in Northern Ireland.

Departmental Twinning

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many requests there have been to his Department for placement of officials from Central, East European and CIS states as twins of his officials; how many such officials have been accepted as twins; and from which countries (a) those who were accepted and (b) those who were not accepted came. [94004]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 25 October 1999]: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him by the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz) on 25 October 1999, Official Report, columns, 739-40.

Human Rights Commission

Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what moneys were allocated by his Department to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission for each of its first three years; and what requests for greater funding were received by his Department. [95502]

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Mr. George Howarth: The Commission is defined as a Non Departmental Public Body and is funded by means of a grant in aid. Its grant in aid for each of its first three years will be £750,000. The Government are determined to ensure that the Commission is properly funded to carry out its various duties and functions, and believe that the current level of funding is adequate. The Commission informed the Secretary of State of its intention to seek additional funding in a letter dated 22 October. Any formal request for an increase in funding will be considered alongside the other financial demands that the Northern Ireland Office has to meet in its annual budget.

Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what basis post-graduate interns have been selected to work for the Human Rights Commission; and how many of them are of (a) British, (b) Irish and (c) other nationality. [95504]

Mr. George Howarth: Two post-graduate interns have worked at the Commission for a three month period this year. The basis of their selection and questions relating to their nationality are the responsibility of the Commission, and I have asked the Chief Commissioner to write to the right hon. Gentleman.

Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the decision of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission to intervene in the matter of UK-wide legislation which is without a specific Northern Ireland aspect. [95508]

Mr. George Howarth: I am not certain to which specific intervention the right hon. Gentleman refers; however, section 69(1) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 states that:

"The Commission shall keep under review the adequacy and effectiveness in Northern Ireland of law and practice relating to the protection of human rights".

This duty is not confined to instances where there is a specific Northern Ireland aspect to UK-wide legislation.

Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which political parties were invited to consult over the proposals that appear in the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission's draft strategic plan; which were consulted; and which declined or failed to respond. [95496]

Mr. George Howarth: The Commission is an independent body and as such its proposals and activities are a matter for the Commission itself. I have therefore asked the Chief Commissioner to write to the right hon. Gentleman to inform him of the consultation process on the Commission's draft strategic plan.

Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what interests have been registered by the members of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. [95506]

Mr. George Howarth: The Commission maintains a Register of Interests for both Commissioners and staff. It can be seen by any member of the public at the Commission's office in Belfast.

Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when his Department made a formal request to the Northern Ireland Human Rights

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Commission asking it to consult and advise on the possibility of a Northern Ireland Bill of Rights; and in what terms was this request. [95505]

Mr. George Howarth: My right hon. Friend the Member for Redcar (Marjorie Mowlam), the then Secretary of State, wrote to the Chief Commissioner on 24 March 1999, as she was required to do under Section 69(7) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998. She invited the Commission to provide advice of the kind referred to in paragraph 4 of the relevant section of the Belfast Agreement, namely:

"to consult and to advise on the scope for defining, in Westminster legislation, rights supplementary to those in the European Convention on Human Rights, to reflect the particular circumstances of Northern Ireland, drawing as appropriate on international instruments and experience. These additional rights to reflect the principles of mutual respect for the identity and ethos of both communities and parity of esteem, and--taken together with the ECHR--to constitute a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland."

The Act does not set a time limit for receipt of these proposals and the Secretary of State did not ask for the Commission's proposals within a set time.

Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the Committee on the Administration of Justice made application to the Council of Europe for funding for the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission before the Commission's members were appointed; and if he will make a statement. [95497]

Mr. George Howarth: The Commission, although funded by Government, is free to seek additional funding from outside sources. Other bodies are also free to seek funding on its behalf. This is not a matter for the Government.

Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff work for the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission; and on what grades and salaries. [95503]

Mr. George Howarth: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has a statutory duty to approve the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission's employment of staff as to numbers and as to remuneration and other terms and conditions of employment.

The Commission has to date appointed eight members of staff. The staff are not civil servants and the Commission has not adopted formal grades, however they have used the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NIC) Pay Scales as a guide to salaries.

There are three Administrative Officers employed on the equivalent of the Clerical and Secretarial Pay Scale. There are four staff appointed on the equivalent of Scale 119; these are a Research Worker; Case Worker; Education Worker and Development Worker. The Commission's Chief Executive is appointed on the equivalent of the Principal Officer Scale of the NICS.

Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on which occasions meetings of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission have been held outside its own headquarters; if any such meetings have been in the private offices of Commissioners; and if he will make a statement about this practice. [95579]

2 Nov 1999 : Column: 132

Mr. George Howarth: The Northern Ireland Act 1998 leaves the Commission free to determine its own procedures. I have asked the Chief Commissioner to write to the right hon. Gentleman on the point that he raises.

Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the report drawn up by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission on whether paramilitary violations of human rights are appropriate for campaigning action by the Commission; and if he will make a statement. [95507]

Mr. George Howarth: It is not for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to decide to publish any material that the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission produces. Section 69(9) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 states that:

"The Commission may decide to publish its advice and the outcome of its research and investigations".

I have asked the Chief Commissioner, Professor Brice Dickson, to write to the right hon. Gentleman on the issue that he raises.

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