You are here: Parliament home page > Parliamentary business > Publications and Records > Hansard > Commons Debates > Commons Debates by date > Commons Debates - previous sessions > Bound Volume Hansard - Written Answers
Previous Section Index Home Page

Burma

Mr. Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current situation in Burma. [105278]

Mr. Battle: There has been no improvement in the political and human rights situation in Burma. The UK remains committed to pressing for change and for dialogue between the regime and democratic leaders, including ethnic minorities. We take every opportunity to do so: for example, we support the EU Common Position on Burma (a package of measures against the regime) and have co-sponsored UN resolutions--most recently at the UN General Assembly in November--critical of the regime.

Pakistan

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy toward arms sales to Pakistan. [105184]

Mr. Hain: There has been no change to our policy of considering export licence applications for Pakistan on a case-by-case basis against our national criteria and those in the EU Code of Conduct for Arms Exports, and in the light of the statement on 10 July 1999, made to the House by my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd) following the Pakistani and Indian Nuclear tests.

Child Labour

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the International Labour Organisation on child labour; and which issues were discussed during 1999. [105511]

Mr. Hain: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary had talks with the Director General of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Juan Somavia, in London last September. They discussed a range of issues including: measures to address child labour, modernisation of the ILO, and co-operation between the ILO, the World Trade Organisation and the International Financial Institutions.

Mr. Somavia also had talks with my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and the then Minister for Employment, Welfare to Work and Equal Opportunities, who confirmed the Government's intention to ratify ILO Conventions 138 and 182, both relating to child labour.

20 Jan 2000 : Column: 577W

Sri Lanka

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what Ministers from his Department have visited Sri Lanka since 1 May 1997. [105597]

Mr. Hain: The late Minister of State, Derek Fatchett, visited Sri Lanka from 10-11 November 1998. I am planning to visit Sri Lanka later this year.

Subcontinent (UK Entry Applications)

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the average waiting time for interview at British High Commission offices in Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka for a person seeking (a) permanent settlement in the United Kingdom, (b) to attend further and higher education courses and (c) visits to members of their family living in the UK in the last 12 months. [105510]

Mr. Vaz: Waiting times for settlement and non- settlement interviews fluctuate over the year in response to seasonal pressures. The following figures were the waiting times for settlement interviews at the end of December 1999 in the countries concerned:

Weeks

PostQ1Q2Q3Q4
India
Bombay0555
New Delhi072025
Pakistan
Islamabad9394450

See explanation of Q1-Q4 system below


The visa sections at Calcutta, Colombo, Karachi and Madras have a standard single queue for all settlement applications. Their current waiting times are:



    Colombo: 8 weeks


    Karachi: 14 weeks


    Madras: 5 weeks


    Queue 1-4 system:


    Queue 1--Right of Abode cases and Dependant Relatives over 65;


    Queue 2--Spouses and Children under 18;


    Queue 3--Fiance(e)s and other First Time Applicants; and


    Queue 4--Re-applicants.

The statistics held centrally on applicants visiting the United Kingdom, either as family visitors or as students, are not held in such a way as to provide figures for parts (b) and (c) of my hon. Friend's question. A comprehensive reply could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Most visit visa applications are straightforward and are normally processed within 24 hours. Many student applications are also processed without delay. However, where a more detailed examination of the application is required, the applicant (student or visitor) will be asked to return at a later date for interview. The waiting times

20 Jan 2000 : Column: 578W

for such interviews (known as Tier 3 interviews) in the countries in question at the end of December 1999 were as follows:



    Bombay: No queue


    Calcutta: No queue


    Madras: 2 days


    New Delhi: No queue


    Pakistan


    Islamabad: 5 days


    Karachi: 22 days


    Sri Lanka


    Colombo: 22 days.

I shall be visiting the Sub-Continent shortly to view these arrangements. I have asked the Entry Clearance Manager in Islamabad to see me within the next two weeks.

Cyprus

Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps he has taken to encourage (a) the Greek Government, (b) the Turkish Government and (c) the Government of Cyprus to resolve the issue of Northern Cyprus. [105159]

Mr. Vaz: The UK is playing a leading role in support of UN efforts towards a settlement in Cyprus. We warmly welcomed the launch of UN proximity talks in New York on 3 December preparing for the negotiation of a comprehensive settlement. We strongly endorse the UN Secretary-General's intention to continue these talks early this year. We are in frequent contact with the Cypriot parties and with the Governments of Greece and Turkey and are encouraging them to co-operate with the Secretary-General constructively and flexibly.

Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the timetable for the accession of Cyprus to the European Union. [105158]

Mr. Vaz: Cyprus is making good progress in its EU accession negotiations, which we welcome. Twenty-three of the 31 chapters of the EU's legislation and practice have been discussed to date and 11 provisionally closed--the most of any candidate. The remaining chapters should be opened this year. It is not yet possible to predict when any of the candidates will join the EU. The faster Cyprus implements EU legislation the sooner it will be in a position to join.

The Helsinki European Council stated that a political settlement would facilitate, but not be a precondition for, Cyprus' accession. We warmly welcomed the launch of UN proximity talks in New York in December, preparing for the negotiation of a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus, and strongly endorse the UN Secretary-General's intention to continue these talks early this year.

Iran

Mr. McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the affiliations and roles of Ghobad Mansour-Beigi, Reza Molai and Alireza Ali-Hosseini; and what assessment he has made of these reports. [105238]

20 Jan 2000 : Column: 579W

Mr. Hain: According to Iranian press reports, the three people named in my hon. Friend's question were killed during a terrorist attack by the Mujaheddin-e-Khalq Organisation in the border town of Ilam on 9 January. I condemn this latest act of terrorism by the Mujaheddin-e-Khalq Organisation.

Mr. McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he discussed events in the province of Ilam in Iran when he met the Iranian Foreign Minister. [105237]

Mr. Hain: During his recent visit Foreign Minister Kharrazi mentioned an attack by the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq Organisation (MKO) in which several people were killed. Our Embassy in Tehran reported separately that the city of Ilam had been hit by a mortar attack on 8 January which killed three people and injured five. The MKO were reported locally as having claimed responsibility. The UK Government condemn this terrorist attack as we condemn all acts of terrorism, wherever they occur.

Indonesia (Arms Embargo)

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the current EU arms embargo on Indonesia covers (a) all arms licences and (b) all military items still awaiting delivery to Indonesia. [105899]

Mr. Battle: As my hon. Friend the Minister of State, the Member for Neath (Mr. Hain) told the House on 17 January 2000, Official Report, column 325W, the EU arms embargo is no longer in effect and, we will therefore consider any future applications strictly according to an agreed criteria, bearing in mind the current and future situation in Indonesia.

Next Section Index Home Page