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EU Enlargement
Mr. Norman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in (a) Poland, (b) Hungary, (c) the Czech Republic, (d) Estonia, (e) Slovenia and (f) Cyprus with respect to the accession negotiations, and the timetable for accession to the EU; and if he will make a statement. [107349]
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Mr. Vaz:
Whenever my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary meets his counterparts from Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Poland and Slovenia, he discusses accession negotiations with them. When he met them in December in the margins of the Helsinki European Council, he noted that their countries have been making good progress in their preparation for accession. He emphasised that the UK wants the applicant states to join the European Union as soon as they are able to meet the obligations of membership. It is too soon to say when this will be.
Mr. Norman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last discussed (a) amendment 14 to resolution B5-0308/1999, (b) resolution A5-0058/1999 and (c) resolution B5-0327/1999 with representatives of the European Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [107368]
Mr. Vaz:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not held discussions with MEPs on these resolutions.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply to the Member for Enfield, Southgate (Mr. Twigg) of 19 January 2000, Official Report, column 477W, if he will place in the Library a copy of the US Senate testimony on counter-terrorism to which he refers. [107830]
Mr. Battle:
I placed a copy in the Libraries of the House today, Tuesday 1 February.
Mr. Quinn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Commonwealth Institute's relationship with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office [108184]
Mr. Hain:
The Commonwealth Institute ceased to be a Non-Departmental Public Body under the direction of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 31 December 1999. This was a Commonwealth Institute initiative. Its new status is that of an independent charity, in the form of a company limited by guarantee. I am arranging for copies of the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the new body to be placed in the Library of the House.
Under the terms of its agreement with the Commonwealth Institute, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is investing £8.055 million in a severance package in 1999-2000 and 2000-01. The funding will restore and develop the building, support new programmes and provide the Institute with financial stability while its plans take effect.
This development means that the Imperial Institute Act 1925 and the Commonwealth Institute Act 1958 need to be repealed, and we shall be seeking that this be done as soon as possible.
I wish the Institute well as it becomes a pan- Commonwealth agency dedicated to promoting the Commonwealth.
1 Feb 2000 : Column: 543W
Mr. Quinn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the compensation schemes for the 14 trade unionists dismissed from GCHQ. [108189]
Mr. Robin Cook:
I can announce that I have today laid before Parliament the two schemes that will put into effect the compensation of the 14 former GCHQ employees for their loss of pension rights. Details of the two schemes will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Tyler:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make arrangements for the hon. Member for North Cornwall to visit GCHQ Morwenstow and receive a briefing on that station's purpose and performance. [107866]
Mr. Robin Cook:
GCHQ would be delighted to make arrangements for the hon. Member, as constituency MP, to visit its outstation at Morwenstow to receive an unclassified briefing and to meet members of staff there.
Details of the station's purpose and performance are classified. The hon. Member will be aware that, as part of GCHQ, the Morwenstow outstation is subject to the scrutiny of the Intelligence and Security Committee, the members of which have access to classified material concerning GCHQ and its outstations under the Intelligence Services Act 1994.
Mr. Winnick:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a reply to his letter of 20 December concerning a constituent. [107852]
Mr. Vaz:
I wrote to my hon. Friend on 29 January about this case.
Mr. Norman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to discuss the French ban on United Kingdom beef with the French Foreign Minister. [107357]
Mr. Vaz:
The European Commission began legal proceedings against France's illegal ban on British beef on 4 January. This is now a matter between the Commission and the French Government, though my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary maintains a regular dialogue with the French Foreign Minister, M. Hubert Vedrine, to discuss a range of bilateral issues, such as the beef ban.
Mr. Ottaway:
To ask the Prime Minister if, pursuant to his answer of 20 January 2000, Official Report, column 537W, on European Defence, if he will place Mr. Liddle's speaking notes in the Library. [107052]
1 Feb 2000 : Column: 544W
The Prime Minister:
I am advised that Mr. Liddle used brief speaking notes. They are not a comprehensive record. It would therefore not be appropriate for them to be placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to seek the consent of other parties to the Agreement on the joint ministerial Committee of the British-Irish Council to publishing the names of those who attend meetings. [107125]
The Prime Minister:
I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Greenock and Inverclyde (Dr. Godman) on 19 January 2000, Official Report, columns 472-73W.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Prime Minister when he last had discussions with the Prime Minister of Portugal on European integration. [107504]
The Prime Minister:
I last spoke to Prime Minister Guterres of Portugal at a private dinner in Lisbon on 7 January. We discussed a range of international and EU issues, in particular Portuguese Presidency priorities.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has made to the EU Commission on Mr. Prodi's official invitation to Colonel Gaddafi to visit Brussels. [107502]
The Prime Minister:
Mr. Prodi has spoken to Colonel Gaddafi on the telephone about a possible visit, but has made it clear that the next step in the development of EU/Libya relations is for Libya to accept the Barcelona acquis without conditions. The United Kingdom has made the same point in discussion of this matter with Libya and EU Partners. The question of high level visits to Brussels could only then be considered.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Prime Minister what action he is taking as a result of his conversations in London with the Prime Minister of Montenegro on (a) lifting sanctions against Serbia, (b) restoring river traffic on the Danube and (c) pollution caused by NATO military action. [107761]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 31 January 2000]: My meeting with President Djukanovic focused on the prospects for stability in the Balkans. I made clear Her Majesty's Government's support for President Djukanovic's programme of political and economic reform.
Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Prime Minister who appoints judges to serve on the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. [107626]
1 Feb 2000 : Column: 545W
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 31 January 2000]: Only judges who are Privy Councillors may serve on the Judicial Committee and it is of course The Queen who appoints Privy Councillors on the recommendation of Her Ministers. The senior Law Lord decides which judges are invited to make up a particular Board of the Judicial Committee.
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Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Prime Minister which United Kingdom Ministers have visited the Russian Federation since 1 May 1997; and for what purpose. [107627]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 31 January 2000]: Details of visits are as follows:
1 Feb 2000 : Column: 545W
| Month/year | Minister | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| July 1997 | Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | Bilateral consultations |
| October 1997 | Myself | Bilateral consultations |
| November 1997 | Secretary of State for Defence | Bilateral consultations |
| March 1998 | President of the Board of Trade | G8 Energy Ministerial |
| July 1998 | Under-Secretary of State for International Development | Bilateral consultations/Know-How-Fund co-operation |
| July 1998 | Minister for Science, Energy and Industry | Bilateral discussions/UK-Russia Science and Technology Committee |
| September 1998 | Minister for Farming and the Food Industry, Lord Donoughue | 'Britain: Window for Business' exhibition |
| September 1998 | Minister for Trade | 'Britain: Window for Business' exhibition |
| September 1998 | Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Ms Quin) | Bilateral consultations |
| September 1998 | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Baroness Symons) | Bilateral consultations |
| March 1999 | Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | Bilateral consultations |
| September 1999 | Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Hoon) | Bilateral consultations |
| October 1999 | Minister of State, Home Office (Mr. Clarke) | G8 Meeting of Justice and Interior Ministers |
1 Feb 2000 : Column: 545W
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