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INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Performance Targets
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list all performance targets set for her Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies since May 1997, other than those listed in Public Service Agreements 1999-2002 [Cm 4181], stating in each case (a) the target to be reached and (b) the date by which it was to be reached. [94988]
Clare Short: All of the performance targets set for my Department since May 1997 are listed in the Public Services Agreement.
These high-level targets are supported at operational level by numerous targets to ensure delivery by individual units. Listing these operational targets would be inappropriate and disproportionate in terms of resources.
PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL
Departmental Accounts
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the President of the Council (1) what methods of depreciation her Department will
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apply in the current financial year to fixed assets in the preparation of departmental resource accounting balance sheets; [97042]
Mrs. Beckett:
My Department will apply the straight line method. This is in accordance with the Treasury's Resource Accounting Manual. The requirements in the Manual will be underpinned by Financial Reporting Standard 15, "Tangible Fixed Assets", issued by the Accounting Standards Board.
Mr. Love:
To ask the President of the Council how many hon. Members (a) underspent, (b) spent and (c) overspent their office costs allowance in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [93551]
Mrs. Beckett:
I regret that the information requested is not available and could be produced only at disproportionate cost.
(2) if she will list the methods of depreciation her Department will apply in the current financial year to fixed assets in the preparation of departmental resource accounting balance sheets. [96912]
Departmental Accounting
Mr. Maclean: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what methods of depreciation the Lord Chancellor's Department will apply in the current financial year to fixed assets in the preparation of departmental resource accounting balance sheets. [97045]
Jane Kennedy: The Lord Chancellor's Department will use the Straight-Line method of depreciation in the preparation of departmental resource accounts for 1999-2000. This is in accordance with the Treasury's Resource Accounting Manual, which is in turn underpinned by Financial Reporting Standard 15 'Tangible Fixed Assets', as issued by the Accounting Standards Board.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Burma
Mr. Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the human rights situation in Myanmar. [97053]
Mr. Battle:
Human rights violations in Burma are appalling and include arbitrary killings, rape, torture, forced labour, forced relocations and denial of freedoms of expression, movement, assembly and association. We take every opportunity to raise our concern about the violations of human rights, especially those of ethnic minorities. For example, our Embassy in Rangoon regularly raise particular concerns with the regime; visiting British and EU officials also raise such concerns when they visit Burma; we have co-sponsored United Nations resolutions which strongly condemn the human rights violations and call on the regime to take urgent action to improve the situation. We will continue our efforts.
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Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to propose to the Council of Ministers the establishment of an equivalent agency to the United States Food and Drug Administration within the European Union; and if he will make a statement. [96923]
Mr. Vaz:
The President of the European Commission, Mr. Prodi, has already said that he intends to bring forward options for an EU food agency in a White Paper expected in December. We are interested in pursuing ideas for such an Agency and we look forward to participating fully in discussions of Mr. Prodi's proposals.
Mr. Garnier:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the list of already appointed members of the EU's Charter Working Group and the names of other members on appointment. [97154]
Mr. Vaz:
Heads of State and Government at the Special European Council in Tampere on 15-16 October agreed that the drafting body would be made up of 15 representatives of Heads of Government, 1 representative of the Commission, 16 Members of the EP and 30 national Parliamentarians. As of 3 November, the only appointments that have been made so far are ex-President Herzog (Germany), Paavu Nikula (Finland) and Stelios Perrakis (Greece).
Mr. Maples:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Cynon Valley (Ann Clwyd) of 28 October 1999, Official Report, column 993, how many meetings between his Department's officials and the Metropolitan Police took place; on what dates; who was present at each meeting; for what reasons no minutes were taken at any of these meetings; if, as a result of these meetings, letters or memos were sent by his Department's officials to the police or vice versa; and who represented the police at these meetings. [97259]
Mr. Battle:
Meetings involving Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials and the Metropolitan Police took place on the following dates this year: 13 July, 27 and 29 July (during the first preparatory visit to the UK of the Chinese officials responsible for the Visit), 6 and 8 September (during the second preparatory visit to the UK of the Chinese officials responsible for the Visit), 23 September, 28 September and 13 October. The number of meetings reflected the programme requirements.
At each meeting, there were representatives from among the following: China Hong Kong Department, Protocol Division and Conference and Visits Group of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Buckingham Palace; Central Area Headquarters, Special Branch, Royalty Protection and Special Escort Group of the Metropolitan Police Service; the Chinese Embassy and visiting Chinese officials; Cambridge University; Cambridgeshire Constabulary; Guildhall; City of London Police; Royal Parks; Royal Parks Police; British Transport Police; Gatwick Airport; Gatwick Airport Police; Sussex Police; Lothian and Borders Police; Royal Air Force; Household
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Cavalry; Royal Logistic Corps; Ministry of Defence; Railtrack Southern; English, Welsh and Scottish Railway; E. C. Harris company.
Minutes were not taken because the purpose of these meetings was not to take operational decisions, but to go through successive drafts of the programme and discuss new programme proposals. Any outcome of the discussions was subsequently reflected in revised programmes.
No letters or memos were sent by Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials to the police as a result of these meetings, or vice versa.
Mr. Maples:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many meetings took place between his Department's officials and the Metropolitan Police in preparation for the state visit of the President of Hungary in June; on what dates; who represented the police at these meetings; and if minutes were taken. [97254]
Mr. Vaz:
Meetings involving Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials and the Metropolitan Police took place on the following dates this year: 8 April, 4 and 6 May (during the preparatory visit to the UK of the Hungarian officials responsible for the Visit), and 11 May. The number of meetings reflected the programme requirements.
At each meeting, there were representatives from among the following: the then Central European Department and the then Protocol Department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; the then Government Hospitality Fund; Department of Trade and Industry; Buckingham Palace; Central Area Headquarters, Special Branch, Royalty Protection and Special Escort Group of the Metropolitan Police Service; the Hungarian Embassy and visiting Hungarian officials; Windsor Castle and Windsor Great Park; Thames Valley Police; Guildhall; City of London Police; Royal Parks Police; Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead; Heathrow Airport; Gatwick Airport; Department of Culture, Media and Sport; Royal Air Force; Household Cavalry; Royal Logistic Corps; Ministry of Defence; Crown Estate Office; E. C. Harris company.
Minutes were not taken because the purpose of these meetings was not to take operational decisions, but to go through successive drafts of the programme and discuss new programme proposals. Any outcome of the discussions was subsequently reflected in revised programmes.
Mr. Oaten:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Iranian Government concerning the trial of the students charged with insulting the Imam; when and at what level such representations were made; what assurances were received; and if he will make a statement. [95783]
Mr. Hain:
The Iranian Government are fully aware of the importance that we and our EU partners attach to freedom of expression. Our concerns about Iran's human
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rights record, including on freedom of expression, will again feature prominently in this month's EU sponsored UN Resolution on Human Rights in Iran.
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