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Nuclear Bunker (Soar)

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will order the sale of the former nuclear bunker at Soar, Devon; and if he will make a statement on outstanding issues in relation to the National Trust. [108994]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The outstanding issues in relation to the National Trust are on the point of being resolved. The first stage in the process of offering this property for sale will begin on 24 February, with the first of a number of open days, when prospective purchasers will have an opportunity to view the property prior to submitting sealed bids.

Crime (Banbury and Abingdon)

Mr. Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide statistics on incidents of crime in Banbury and Abingdon (a) in the 12 month period before and (b) after the installation of closed circuit television surveillance. [109123]

Mr. Charles Clarke: This information is not available centrally. The British Crime Survey and other centrally collated crime statistics are not sufficiently detailed to provide the comparative before and after information requested.

PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

European Charter on Human Rights

Mr. Mitchell: To ask the President of the Council, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for South Ribble (Mr. Borrow), of 8 December 1999, Official Report, column 532W, on the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, what parliamentary procedures preceded the appointment of my hon. Friend the Member for Bridgend (Mr. Griffiths) as the delegate of the House to the Charter drafting body; and what documents set out his instructions as a delegate. [108736]

Mrs. Beckett: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 7 February 2000, Official Report, column 24W.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Departmental Fees

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which fees his Department, its agencies and associated public bodies collect; how much has been raised and will be raised from each of these fees from 1989-90 to 2004-05; and which of these fees count as negative expenditure. [107977]

Mr. Hain: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the previous question on 8 February 2000, Official Report, column 134W.

Helsinki Council

Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the answer of the Secretary of State for Defence of 20 January 2000, Official Report, columns 536-37W, on the three new

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military committees to be established in the European Council, what Parliamentary proceedings will be initiated by a Minister of the Crown prior to negotiations and decision-making concerning their respective terms of reference. [108735]

Mr. Vaz: Draft Council Decisions establishing the three interim structures (the Interim Political and Security Committee, the Interim Body of Military Representatives, the secondment of Military Experts to the General Secretariat of the Council) are being submitted for Parliamentary Scrutiny. Future Decisions and other instruments concerning these bodies will be similarly submitted for Parliamentary Scrutiny, in line with the Government's 1998 White Paper on the Parliamentary Scrutiny of EU business.

Diplomatic Staff

Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 2 February 2000, Official Report, column 622W, on diplomatic staff what instructions he has given UK diplomatic staff not to meet particular UK nationals. [108958]

Mr. Hain: No instructions have been issued to members of the Diplomatic Service not to meet particular UK nationals.

Gibraltar

Mr. Colvin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the appointment of the next Governor of Gibraltar and the timing of the appointment. [109183]

Mr. Vaz: The present Governor, Sir Richard Luce, is due to leave Gibraltar towards the end of March. An announcement on his successor will be made in the near future.

Sharia Law

Mrs. Fyfe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Sharia law continues to be imposed in parts of (a) Chechnya and (b) Dagestan; and what representations he has made concerning this. [109092]

Mr. Vaz: Sharia law, as imposed in parts of Chechnya and Dagestan, has included, among other punishments, public executions. These are in contravention of the European Convention on Human Rights and the human rights standards of the OSCE. The Government have made repeated representations to the Russian Government to urge them to seek a political solution to the situation in Chechnya, with the aim of restoring normal European standards throughout the territory of the Russian Federation. We have urged Russia to use the good offices of the OSCE and the Council of Europe in this task.

Burma

Mrs. Fyfe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of ethnic cleansing by the SPDC of minority groups in areas of Burma closed to monitors for security reasons. [109095]

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Mr. Battle: We continue to receive disturbing reports of human rights violations against ethnic minorities from many parts of Burma. These violations include arbitrary killings, rape, torture, mass arrests, forced labour and forced relocations. We take every opportunity to condemn these violations: for example, the UK co-sponsored the UN General Assembly resolution adopted last November which contains strong condemnation of the appalling catalogue of human rights violations in Burma, including against ethnic minorities. We continue to make regular representations to the regime on this issue.

Mrs. Fyfe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he will take to promote the long-term safety of the (a) Karen, (b) Chin, (c) Kavenni and (d) other minority tribes in their homelands in Burma. [109096]

Mr. Battle: We take every opportunity to raise with the Burmese authorities our concerns about the violations of human rights of ethnic minorities, including the Karen people. We support the work of the UN agencies, such as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees' work on Burma's Western border and UN Development Programme's projects in ethnic minority areas all over Burma. We also support the international non- governmental organisations working under difficult conditions in many of the ethnic minority areas. In Thailand, we provide humanitarian assistance through the Burma Border Consortium (£270,000 this calendar year). We continue to encourage political dialogue between the Burmese regime and democratic leaders, including ethnic minorities.

Mrs. Fyfe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the SPDC calling for it to open up all areas of Burma to human rights monitors and humanitarian aid workers. [109097]

Mr. Battle: The SPDC have persistently refused any visit to Burma by Judge Lallah, the present UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights. We have co-sponsored resolutions both at the UN Commission on Human Rights and at the UN General Assembly expressing concern at this lack of co-operation. Several UN agencies and international non-governmental organisations, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, are in Burma doing excellent work, but some parts of Burma are not accessible to them, largely because of civil unrest due to the regime's continued oppression of ethnic minorities. We deplore this oppression and call on the regime to enter into a dialogue with democratic groups, including ethnic minorities, to resolve Burma's political impasse.

Mrs. Fyfe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking to ensure that the minority tribes in Burma are not subjected to forced labour. [109098]

Mr. Battle: Forced labour is one of the key areas of concern in Burma. We condemn it wherever it occurs. A report by the International Labour Organisation in 1998 highlighted the use of forced labour in Burma and made three recommendations for the regime to implement: to stop forced labour; to penalise those who exact it; and to amend Burmese legislation. So far, these

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recommendations have not been adopted. Until they are, we will continue to maintain pressure in the ILO, and will raise this subject again at the March Governing Body.

Indonesia

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures the Government have taken (a) alone and (b) in collaboration with the United Nations, to ensure that instability within the borders of Indonesia does not spread throughout the region; and if he will make a statement. [109110]

Mr. Battle: We believe that President Wahid's democratic government is committed to finding a fair and lasting solution to the regional troubles in Indonesia. We and the international community stand ready to offer practical help to President Wahid and shall continue to support him in his efforts to create a democratic and united Indonesia, which will be a force for stability in South East Asia.

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assurances he has received from the newly elected President of Indonesia that his Government will stop the persecution of Christians within its borders; and if he will make a statement. [109111]

Mr. Battle: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I all discussed the situation in Maluku with President Wahid when he as in London last week. President Wahid reaffirmed his commitment to secure lasting peace between the conflicting Muslim and Christian communities in the province.

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