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The Philippines
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Philippines Ambassador concerning human rights abuses in Canatuan and the question of indigenous land rights in that area. [97809]
Mr. Battle: We are concerned that the rights and freedoms of indigenous people should be recognised and protected. This is why we participate in discussions on indigenous people within the UN, including the working group on the Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People. We supported resolutions on indigenous people at the Commission on Human Rights held in Geneva between 27 March and 30 April this year.
Our Embassy in Manila monitors carefully human rights related issues in the Philippines. We have recently appointed a secondee with an NGO background to our
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staff in Manila as part of this work. We will be following closely the Philippine Government's Commission on Human Rights investigation into the Canatuan incident.
Dr. Starkey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many permits were issued by the Israeli Government to Palestinians for travel from Gaza to (a) Israel and (b) the West Bank (i) for each of the six months preceding the opening of the Southern Safe Passage and (ii) since the opening of the Southern Safe Passage. [97978]
Mr. Hain:
My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary welcomed the opening of the southern safe passage on 25 October and had the opportunity to travel on the route on 26 October. The safe passage will enable thousands of Gazans to travel to the West Bank.
On the first day of operation of the safe passage, 800 people travelled from Gaza to the West Bank and 80 from West Bank to Gaza. A number of Gazans were able to leave the Gaza Strip for the first time in their lives. We do not hold the other details requested.
Dr. Starkey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many housing units in Jewish settlements on the West Bank have been demolished; and how many new housing units in Jewish settlements on the West Bank have been started since 14 October. [97976]
Mr. Hain:
On 14 October, the Israeli government and Yesha Council agreed that 12 settlement outposts should be dismantled. This agreement is now being implemented. These settlement outputs are believed not to include any housing units. The Israeli government recently acknowledged that they have issued the tenders for the construction of 1,798 housing units.
Dr. Starkey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the agreement made on 14 October between the Israeli Government and the Yesha Council. [97975]
Mr. Hain:
We welcome agreement by the Israeli Government and Yesha Council to dismantle some settlements outposts. The British Government's view remains that settlement activity is illegal under international law and unhelpful in curbing settlements.
Dr. Starkey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on continued house demolitions by the Israeli authorities in East Jerusalem. [97977]
Mr. Hain:
We are opposed to all attempts to alter the demographics of East Jerusalem, contrary to the Fourth Geneva Convention. We therefore strongly regret the continuation of house demolitions, even though their frequency has declined in recent months. A full stop to this policy would contribute to the confidence between the parties which will be essential at this critical stage in the peace process.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans the Government
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have to use Article 124 to opt out of the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court when it ratifies the International Criminal Court Statute. [97882]
Mr. Hain:
We have no plans to use Article 124 of the International Criminal Court Statute to opt out of the Court's jurisdiction over war crimes. We hope as few countries as possible will take advantage of this provision.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate his Department has made of the number of bonded labourers working in (a) India, (b) Pakistan and (c) Nepal. [97997]
Mr. Hain:
We are deeply concerned by all cases of bonded labour. Accurate and comprehensive figures for those employed in bonded labour in India, Pakistan and Nepal are not available.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action his Department is taking to enforce Article 1 of the United Nations Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery, 1956. [97999]
Mr. Hain:
We urge all countries to ratify the international instruments on outlawing slavery, and to wipe out all forms of slavery, including bonded labour.
Working bilaterally and through organisations such as the International Labour Organisation, the Government provide practical support to those countries working to eliminate the practice of slavery. We also provide help to tackle the poverty which breeds abusive labour practices and to protect the rights of vulnerable groups, such as women and children.
Mr. Don Foster:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department spent on external consultants and advisers in each of the last four financial years. [97417]
Mr. Hain:
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has spent the following sums on external consultancy and advice during the last four financial years:
Mr. Borrow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made with respect to the proposed independent review of the zinc cadmium
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sulphide trials carried out in the UK by the former Chemical Defence Experimental Establishment between 1953 and 1964. [98339]
Mr. Kilfoyle:
Professor Peter Lachmann, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences, has agreed to lead an independent review of British trials which used zinc cadmium sulphide as an air movement tracer to assess the vulnerability of the UK to attack by biological weapons. It will concentrate on the question of whether these trials might have had harmful effects on public health. Professor Lachmann is being supported by a small team of experts to assist him. It is intended that this independent review will be completed within the next few months, and that a report will be published and a copy placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Alan Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if a decision has been reached on building the Dual Access Hydrodynamic Radiographic Test facility at Aldermaston; and if he will make a statement. [96426]
Mr. Kilfoyle:
This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from John Howe to Mr. Alan Simpson, dated 10 November 1999:
Mr. Alan Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures are to be implemented at Aldermaston to replace the practice of storing plutonium and uranium sludge in tanks on-site after 1 January 2000. [96424]
Mr. Kilfoyle:
This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from John Howe to Mr. Alan Simpson, dated 10 November 1999:
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1995-96: £17.7 million;
1996-97: £11.8 million;
1997-98: £15.8 million;
1998-99: £14.5 million.
The bulk of FCO consulting expenditure is for technical expertise on capital projects, predominantly on estate related and information technology development at home and overseas.
I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking if a decision has been reached on building the DAHRT facility at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) Aldermaston and for a statement.
The UK has had a dual axis radiography capability at AWE Aldermaston since 1995. Parts of the facility were purpose built but it also incorporates older equipment and infrastructure. A feasibility study for a new, multi axis, facility is being carried out by AWE at present but no decision has yet been made on whether or not it should be built.
You used the term "DAHRT". The DARHT or Dual Axis Radiographic Hydrodynamic Test Facility is an American facility under construction at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what measures are to be implemented at the Atomic Weapons Establishment Aldermaston to replace the practice of storing plutonium and uranium sludge in tanks on site after 1 January 2000. This matter falls to me for answer within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
In accordance with Nuclear Installation Inspectorate (NII) requirements, AWE will add no further quantities of sludge to the tanks after December 1999.
They are on course to procure plant which will meet the further NII requirement that wastes currently accumulated should be recovered, treated and stored in immobilised form suitable for long term retention. The NII have set a date of 1 April 2003 for the first tank to be treated, and may well set further targets.
In the meantime and with the NII's agreement, existing holdings of sludges can either remain safely in the tanks, which are bunded and whose integrity is regularly monitored or, in the case of future arisings, can be held within the processing plant.
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