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NORTHERN IRELAND
Murder Inquiry (Robert Hamill)
Ms Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will establish an independent judicial inquiry under the Tribunal of Inquiry (Evidence) Act 1921 into the murder of Robert Hamill. [105353]
Mr. Ingram: While an inquiry has not been ruled out by Government, they will not consider the issue until disciplinary proceedings, if any, against police officers are concluded.
RUC School Visits
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the (a) pre-school
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institutions, (b) primary and (c) secondary schools visited by the RUC and police community relations units in 1999. [105454]
Mr. Ingram
[holding answer 17 January 2000]: During 1999, RUC Community Affairs officers delivered Police Education Programme lessons to 335 primary schools and 52 secondary schools. No records were kept of pre-school visits.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what efforts are made to secure parental consent prior to school visits by the RUC. [105455]
Mr. Ingram
[holding answer 17 January 2000]: The Police Education Programme (PEP) is delivered by police officers attached to the Community Affairs Branch. Any police involvement with and support to a school is agreed through the school principal.
Mr. William Ross:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the meetings held between the International Independent Commission on Decommissioning with the representatives of each political party and the authorised representatives of each paramilitary organisation since 1 November 1999. [105816]
Mr. Ingram:
This is entirely a matter for the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning, which carries out its functions independent of Government. It is their policy not to disclose this type of information.
Mr. William Ross:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the RUC firearms database is linked into the National Firearms Database established under Section 39 of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997. [105819]
Mr. Ingram
[holding answer 18 January 2000]: The following table shows the number of legally held handguns stolen from private individuals, the Armed Forces, the Police and Prison Officers in each of the last 10 years.
| Year | Private individuals | Armed Forces | Police Officers | Prison Officers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0 | 6 | 15 | 4 |
| 1991 | 8 | 5 | 12 | 2 |
| 1992 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| 1993 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| 1994 | 12 | 6 | 14 | 0 |
| 1995 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| 1996 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 1 |
| 1997 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1998 | 16 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| 1999 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals | 78 | 33 | 70 | 9 |
During this period one rifle was stolen from a police officer.
The Chief Constable has advised that the information in relation to the calibres of these firearms is not easily accessible and obtaining it would incur disproportionate cost.
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Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what days in the last year the Union Flag was flown (a) from the headquarters of each public body, (b) at each RUC station and (c) in each school authority. [101873]
Mr. Ingram
[holding answer 15 December 1999]: The Union Flag has been flown at each RUC station on the following occasions over the past year:
Mr. William Ross:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which system is used by the RUC to hold their register of privately held firearms and persons holding firearms certificates; and if he will place a copy of the system's functional specification and user guide in the Library. [105822]
Mr. Ingram
[holding answer 18 January 2000]: The Chief Constable has advised that the current system used by the RUC to hold this information was developed by them following research into similar systems operated by GB forces. There are no plans to place the system documentation in the Library.
Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the binding embargoes agreed by the European Union since 1990, indicating for each the period of the embargo and any arrangements made for extension of the period of validity of export licences to those countries to reflect the period of embargo. [103555]
Mr. Vaz:
I will write to my hon. Friend shortly.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library
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the guidance handbooks on the institutions of the European Union and on the procedures of the Council prepared by his Department for civil servants and Ministers. [106162]
Mr. Vaz:
These guidance handbooks were prepared for the use of UK officials and Ministers directly involved in EU negotiations. We consider giving them wider circulation could be prejudicial to the UK's position in EU negotiations.
Mr. David Atkinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the UN and his international counterparts concerning UN Resolution 520 on the removal of Syrian and Israeli forces from the Lebanon. [106649]
Mr. Hain:
I have regular discussions with a wide range of interlocutors about the peace process in the Middle East. In the case of Lebanon, the Government support United Nations Security Council Resolutions 520 and 425, and believe there is now a real prospect of withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon. We look forward to the Lebanese Government's full exercise of its authority throughout the country. The Government also hope that peace negotiations between Israel and Lebanon will begin as soon as possible.
Mr. Chaytor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on human rights abuses in Cameroon. [106861]
Mr. Hain:
We have serious concerns about the human rights situation in Cameroon, and believe they are in breach of the Commonwealth's Harare Declaration Principles on Human Rights and Good Governance.
We have raised our concerns with the Government of Cameroon, both bilaterally and with EU partners, and are working with the Commonwealth and other international partners to encourage reform.
Mr. Healey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Malaysian authorities on the detention of Karpal Singh. [106527]
Mr. Battle:
Karpal Singh, the Deputy Chairman of the Democratic Action Party (DAP) and a lawyer for Anwar Ibrahim, the former deputy Prime Minister, was arrested on 12 January. He has been accused of making seditious comments in court during the Anwar trial. He has been released on bail.
This case raises significant legal issues, and we shall be following it closely. We are in regular contact with the Malaysian authorities on such matters.
Mr. Healey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received on the detention and trial of Kayed Singh in Malaysia. [106526]
Mr. Battle:
None.
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Ms Oona King:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications for entry clearance to visit the United Kingdom have been made at the British post in Havana in each of the last 10 years; and how many of those applications have been refused. [106869]
Mr. Vaz:
Statistics on visit visa applications processed by the visa section in Havana have been collated only since 1993. The figures are as follows:
6 February 1999: Her Majesty's Accession
The flying of the Union Flag from the Headquarters of each public body and school authority is no longer the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
8 February 1999: Death of King Hussein of Jordan
19 February 1999: Birthday of HRH the Prince of York
8 March 1999: Commonwealth Day
10 March 1999: Birthday of HRH the Earl of Wessex
21 April 1999: Birthday of Her Majesty the Queen
2 June 1999: Coronation Day
10 June 1999: Birthday of HRH the Duke of Edinburgh
12 June 1999: Official Birthday of Her Majesty the Queen
4 August 1999: Birthday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother
15 August 1999: Birthday of HRH the Princess Royal
21 August 1999: Birthday of HRH the Princess Margaret
14 November 1999: Birthday of HRH the Prince of Wales/Remembrance Day
20 November 1999: Anniversary of Her Majesty's Wedding.
| Year | Received | Refused |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 871 | (28)-- |
| 1994 | 901 | (28)-- |
| 1995 | 2,062 | 65 |
| 1996 | 1,455 | 63 |
| 1997 | 1,772 | 103 |
| 1998 | 2,026 | 94 |
| 1999 | 2,234 | 145 |
(28) Not available
The figures for refusals in 1993 and 1994 were not recorded. The 1999 figures are provisional: final statistics for 1999 are currently being compiled.
Mr. Allan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people were refused entry clearance to United Kingdom as visitors in 1998 on the grounds that the entry clearance officer did not believe that the applicant intended to leave the United Kingdom at the end of their visit. [106819]
Mr. Vaz:
"Intention to leave the UK" is one of the key tests in the Immigration Rules on which an ECO must be satisfied. Most short-term visit refusals will include this as one of the grounds for an application being unsuccessful. However, detailed information on the reasons for refusal is not collated centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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