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Private Finance Initiative

Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which projects relating to his Department that appeared in the Private Finance Panel's list of 29 November 1995 (a) have been completed, (b) are still pending, (c) have been dropped and (d) are being pursued by means other than a public private partnership. [105870]

Mr. Hain: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given today by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary for the Treasury, Official Report, columns 117-8W.

EU Common Defence and Security Policy

Mr. Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of European Union enlargement on the Common European Defence and Security Policy. [104537]

Mr. Vaz: The development of the CEDSP of the EU continues following the conclusions of the Helsinki European Council. The arrangements put in place need to reflect, before enlargement, the EU's relations with the aspirant countries and equally to enable the policy to function in an enlarged community. For their part, new members will be expected to accept the defence acquis of the Union when they join.

World Trade Organisation (Croatian Membership)

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a

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statement on the Government's policy on Croatia's application for membership of the World Trade Organisation. [104756]

Mr. Vaz: We support Croatia's application to join the World Trade Organisation. Membership will allow Croatia to enjoy the benefits of integration in the world trading system. We hope that agreement on the terms of Croatia's joining can be reached quickly.

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact that the deferment of Croatia's application to join the World Trade Organisation will have on its advancement (a) to a full market economy and (b) to meet criteria for European Union membership; and if he will make a statement. [104757]

Mr. Vaz: We hope that the agreement on the terms of Croatia's joining the WTO can be reached quickly, but a delay need not affect Croatia's progress towards a full market economy or EU membership. Croatia can reform its economic and market structures independently of pursuing its application to join the WTO. We urge the new Croatian government to make progress towards meeting the criteria for EU membership, including democratisation, respect for human rights and compliance with international obligations.

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will discuss Croatia's application for membership of the World Trade Organisation when he next meets (a) the United States Secretary of State, (b) the Foreign Minister of France and (c) the European Commission; and if he will make a statement. [104752]

Mr. Vaz: The GAC on 24 January will discuss the full range of EU policy towards Croatia in light of the election results. We support Croatia's accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The Balkans are likely to be on the agenda when the Foreign Secretary next speaks to Mrs. Albright.

Visa Regimes (Europe)

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with which European countries the United Kingdom operates a visa regime. [104754]

Mr. Vaz: The United Kingdom operates a visa regime on the following European countries:

Albania

Belarus

Bosnia Herzegovina

Bulgaria

Croatia

Macedonia

Romania

Slovakia

Turkey

Ukraine

Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

East Timor

Mr. Shaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current security situation in East Timor. [104565]

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Mr. Battle: I visited Indonesia and East Timor on 16-20 January. As I discussed with Major General Cosgrove, the Commander of INTERFET, the security situation in East Timor is generally stable. A memorandum of understanding between the Indonesian Armed Forces, the International Force in East Timor (INTERFET) and the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) on relations at the East Timor/West Timor border was signed on 12 January. All remain concerned about militia activity in the enclave of Oecussi and in West Timor's refugee camps. I made our concerns about this clear to the Indonesian Regional Military Commander during my visit.

Commercial Guidelines

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidelines his Department gives to British private sector companies which employ non-governmental military companies in areas of conflict in the developing world. [106128]

Mr. Battle: No specific prescriptive guidelines exist.

Both the Department of Trade and Industry and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office encourage British private sector companies to act responsibly in overseas investments, particularly in areas of conflict.

Both Departments provide briefing on the prevailing internal situation in specific countries on request.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

World Trade Organisation

Ms Drown: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to co-ordinate different Government department's policies towards the World Trade Organisation. [104503]

Mr. Caborn: We use informal and formal networks into which we put a lot of effort. Informally, DTI officials have almost daily contact with colleagues in other Government Departments, including in particular FCO, HMT, DfID, MAFF and DETR. More formally, we have regular cross-Whitehall meetings of officials in a Trade Policy Group. There is also correspondence at ministerial level and discussions in Cabinet Committee. Reflecting this close co-ordination we had a team of officials including other Government Departments in Seattle and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State was accompanied by my right hon. Friend the Secretary for State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, and myself.

Dr. Palmer: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will initiate a consultation process concerning the outcome of the World Trade Organisation talks in Seattle and future policy in relation to such talks. [105061]

Mr. Caborn: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State stated the Government's position following the Seattle Conference in the debate in the House on 9 December 1999, Official Report, columns 1022-94. As the Government remain committed to the launch of a new comprehensive Round of trade negotiations, the existing consultation

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processes which they have in place remain valid. This includes consultation with Parliament, to which the Government attach particular importance. The Government launched a wider consultation exercise last year, including a new website which we will be expanding in the coming months to provide more information and features, and to which we have had a good response. We will also continue to hold meetings with a range of people including business, NGOs and trades unions at both official and ministerial level.

Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assistance he is intending to provide to developing countries without a permanent representative to the World Trade Organisation Secretariat in Geneva in order to assist them to be more fully involved in the Millennium Round of trade negotiations. [105579]

Mr. Caborn [holding answer 20 January 2000]: While the Government regret that a new Round was not launched at the Seattle Conference at the end of last year, we remain committed to launching a comprehensive Round at the earliest opportunity. The Government have committed themselves to increasing the WTO's regular budget for technical assistance. In addition, the Government have funded a number of other programmes for countries without a mission in Geneva including: a week-long series of briefings, seminars and policy debates in Geneva to help these countries prepare for the Seattle meeting; support for CARICOM countries most of whom do not have a representative in Geneva to participate in WTO negotiations; their contribution to the Commonwealth's Trade and Investment Access Facility through which they are funding inter alia a Geneva-based trade policy expert to advise their trade Ministries. In addition, the Government are working with a wide range of organisations including UNCTAD, the World Bank and Commonwealth Secretariat to help build the trade capacity of developing and least developed countries so that they can participate more effectively in the world trading system.

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reason Croatia's application for membership of the World Trade Organisation was not accepted; and if he will make a statement. [104758]

Mr. Caborn: Croatia's market access offer in services which forms part of her World Trade Organisation (WTO) accession negotiations has not been accepted by all WTO members. This currently prevents her becoming a member of the WTO. The United Kingdom continues to fully support Croatian WTO accession, and looks forward to welcoming her as a WTO member in the near future.

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