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Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral statement of 18 January 2000, Official Report, column 671, on the EU Intergovernmental Conference, what the source of his information was on the allegiances of the six members of the European Parliament. [108279]
Mr. Vaz: An article in The Independent entitled "Now MEPs round on Hague" (6 January 2000), confirmed by Conservative MEP, Daniel Hannan, in The Daily Telegraph (11 January 2000).
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's policy in respect of compliance with the Anti-ballistic Missile Treaty by the parties concerned. [108415]
Mr. Vaz: We continue to value the Anti-ballistic Missile Treaty, and wish to see it preserved.
But it is not for the Government to comment on the question of compliance with treaties to which it is not a party.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government have received from (a) Russia and (b) other EU states in respect of the Anti-ballistic Missile defence system being constructed at RAF Menwith Hill. [108894]
Mr. Norman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what representations the Government have made on the Commission's proposal in "Adapting the Institutions to make a Success of Enlargement", for the establishment of a European Public Prosecutor to investigate fraud across the Union; and if he will make a statement; [108499]
(3) what representations the Government have made on the Commission's proposal in "Adapting the Institutions to make a Success of Enlargement", for the partial redrafting of (a) harmonisation of legislation on certain forms of taxation (articles 93 and 95 EC) and (b) measures in the social security field (first indent of Article 137(3) EC). [108500]
8 Feb 2000 : Column: 138W
Mr. Vaz:
We are in regular contact with the Commission about the IGC, and have taken careful note of its Opinion. However, the IGC is a matter for the member states.
The Government will set out its position on all major IGC issues in a White Paper to be published very shortly.
Mr. Norman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he will make to the Portuguese Presidency in advance of its report on security and defence policy to be presented at the Feira European Council; and if he will make a statement. [108498]
Mr. Vaz:
My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary visited Lisbon on 6-7 January 2000. British Ministers remain in close touch with their Portuguese counterparts.
UK and Portugal are working towards an effective European security and defence policy which strengthens both NATO and the European Union.
Audrey Wise:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what data he collates relating to visitor visa applications in the Indian subcontinent in addition to information on numbers allowed and refused. [108689]
Mr. Vaz:
Full details of all information collected centrally on non-settlement visa applications can be found in the Global Entry Clearance Statistics, copies of which are available in the House of Commons Library for the years 1994-98. Statistics for 1999 are currently being compiled and will be placed in the Library in due course. Statistics collected in respect of applications in the Indian subcontinent do not differ from those collected elsewhere.
Audrey Wise:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications for visitor visas have been (a) allowed and (b) refused, in each of the last two years, in (i) Islamabad, (ii) Karachi, (iii) New Delhi, (iv) Bombay and (v) Nigeria. [108688]
Mr. Vaz:
The following are the figures for non- settlement visa applications in the countries requested.
(2) what representations the Government have made on the Commission's proposal in "Adapting the Institutions to make a Success of Enlargement", that some members of the European Parliament should be elected on Europe-wide lists; and if he will make a statement; [108497]
1999 (14) | 1998 | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Issued | Refused | Issued | Refused | |
Islamabad | 26,249 | 8,675 | 26,737 | 5,615 |
Karachi | 21,763 | 3,682 | 22,270 | 3,116 |
New Delhi | 53,890 | 10,547 | 50,538 | 7,742 |
Bombay | 63,023 | 5,431 | 55,957 | 4,528 |
Lagos | 37,454 | 8,138 | 29,480 | 8,351 |
Abuja | 13,133 | 1,883 | 9,562 | 1,421 |
(14) Provisional
The Global Entry Clearance Statistics for 1999 will be placed in the House of Commons Library in due course. The figures for 1994-98 are already available in the Library.
Audrey Wise:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will instruct immigration posts in Pakistan to allow applicants for visas to be accompanied at their interviews by a relative or friend. [108690]
8 Feb 2000 : Column: 139W
Mr. Vaz:
We recognise that it may be helpful in some cases for visa applicants to be accompanied at interview by a friend or relative. For this reason entry clearance posts have discretion to allow this. But in other cases the presence of a second person at an interview may make it more difficult for entry clearance officers to judge the applicant's intentions, which they are required to do under the Immigration Rules. I therefore believe that the current policy of allowing posts discretion to decide should be retained.
Ms Atherton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress towards the ratification of the Council of Europe Charter on Regional and Minority Languages. [108435]
Mr. Vaz:
We hope to sign the Charter very soon with a view to ratification later this year, subject to the completion of the required Parliamentary procedures.
Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the response of (a) the UK and (b) the President of the European Commission to the possibility of the Freedom Party attaining Government office in Austria. [108641]
Mr. Vaz
[holding answer 4 February 2000]: The UK has made very clear our deep concern and distaste at the inclusion of Haider's far-right party in the Austrian Government. We welcome the fact that the new government has committed itself to abiding by the common obligations and values of EU membership, but we will be judging it by its future actions. We also support the Commission statement on this issue. The measures which Britain agreed on 31 January with the 13 other member states are now a force to limit bilateral contact with Austria.
Mr. Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received that the Vishna Hindu Parishad attacks on Christian groups are part of an orchestrated campaign of intimidation. [108709]
Mr. Hain:
We share concerns in the UK over attacks on Christians in India and have relayed those concerns to the Indian authorities. We have been assured that the incidents in question are isolated, and that they have been investigated and action taken against the perpetrators.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received concerning the arrest and detention of Christians in Saudi Arabia; and if he will make a statement. [108889]
Mr. Hain:
On 7 January, 15 Filipinos were arrested at a Christian service in Riyadh. According to the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh, 11 have been released without charge. The others are expected to be released soon.
8 Feb 2000 : Column: 140W
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his Department's estimate of the total expenditure of the United Nations in East Timor since its staff returned there in late 1999; of this expenditure, how much is (a) on UN staff costs and (b) distributed to the people of East Timor. [108887]
Mr. Hain:
The Secretary-General reported to the UN General Assembly on 29 November that he expected the cost of civilian staffing for the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor to be US$53,632,100 and the cost of military staff to be $54,412,800 for the period 1 December 1999 to 31 March 2000. He will report again to the General Assembly in March with revised estimates, including on disbursements for staffing costs to date.
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