| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Austria
Mr. Hopkins:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement
14 Feb 2000 : Column: 423W
on the rise of the Freedom Party in Austria and its implications for Austria's relations with the United Kingdom. [109185]
Mr. Vaz:
We have made very clear over the last two weeks our deep concern and distaste at the inclusion in the Austrian Government of a far-right party which appeals to xenophobia. We have welcomed the fact that the new Austrian Government have committed themselves to abiding by the common obligations and values of EU membership, to combating all forms of discrimination, and to dealing constructively with the country's Nazi past, but we will be watching them closely and judging them on whether they fulfil the commitments they have made.
Mr. Lilley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs under which provisions of the European Treaties the (a) Commission and (b) European Presidency are seeking to influence the composition of the Government of Austria. [109028]
Mr. Vaz:
The Portuguese Government on behalf of 14 members of the EU have made clear our concern on developments in Austria. The European Commission has also voiced its concern. The measures agreed by the 14 partners were not decided upon and are not being implemented within the framework of the EU or EC treaties, and Austria will continue to participate in EU business. For our part, I have made clear our deep concern and distaste at the inclusion in the Austrian Government of a far-right party which appeals to xenophobia. We will be judging the new Austrian Government carefully on whether they fulfil the commitments they have made in their Declaration to abide by all common obligations and values of EU membership.
Ms Christine Russell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in the last five years, what proportion of women employees in (i) his Department and (ii) executive agencies under the control of his Department, (a) returned to work after childbirth, (b) returned to work after childbirth before the end of maternity leave, indicating the (i) time-range and (ii) mean time; (c) returned to work after childbirth on reduced working hours, indicating the average hours worked and d) returned to work after childbirth full-time and subsequently reduced their hours. [109238]
Mr. Hain:
The Department is committed to facilitating the early return to work of staff who take maternity leave. Flexible working arrangements are available for women who do not wish to return to work full-time after giving birth. The detailed information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effects on the armed forces in Pakistan of the recent suspension of British arms sales to Pakistan. [108905]
Mr. Hain
[holding answer 8 February 2000]: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Leyton and Wanstead (Mr. Cohen) on 11 February 2000, Official Report, column 336W.
14 Feb 2000 : Column: 424W
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many United Kingdom police officers have been deployed (a) in Pristina and (b) throughout Kosovo in the last 12 months. [109713]
Mr. Hain
[holding answer 11 February 2000]: In July 1999, five UK police officers transferred from the International Police Task Force in Bosnia to assist the United Nations Interim Administration in Kosovo with the establishment of a Police Headquarters in Pristina. Their mission finished at the end of October 1999.
52 UK police officers were also members of six successive UK Scenes of Crime Teams, who were gathering forensic evidence from war graves throughout Kosovo over periods of three weeks at a time, from July to October last year.
Since August 1999, 32 UK police officers have been in Vucitrn at the OSCE Police Training School. This number is shortly to rise to 40 officers.
In addition, 60 RUC officers were deployed in early November 1999 to the UN International Police in Kosovo. Of these 60, 32 are based in Pristina, and the remaining 28 have been deployed to small towns in the British Sector surrounding Pristina.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Kosovo Albanian prisoners are detained in Serbia. [109717]
Mr. Vaz
[holding answer 11 February 2000]: The International Committee of the Red Cross, which is in regular contact with the Belgrade authorities, has visited a total of around 1,570 Kosovo Albanians currently detained in Serbia.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what actions have been taken by (a) UNMIK, (b) the EU and (c) the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, to (i) secure the release of the Kosovo Albanian prisoners detained in Serbia and (ii) ameliorate the conditions of their detention. [109718]
Mr. Vaz
[holding answer 11 February 2000]: The International Committee of the Red Cross is in regular contact with the authorities in Belgrade about the situation of the Kosovo Albanians held in Serbia. We remain in close touch with the ICRC. Several hundred of those detained last year have been released in recent months. We hope that all those still being held are either released or have their cases processed quickly. It is unacceptable that people should be detained without trial for so long.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the diplomatic messages to (a) Chile, (b) Spain, (c) France, (d) Belgium and (e) Switzerland concerning General Pinochet since 1 October 1998. [110116]
Mr. Battle:
It is not possible to provide a fully comprehensive list without incurring disproportionate costs. However I assure my hon. Friend that the matter has been frequently raised.
14 Feb 2000 : Column: 425W
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list meetings between (a) ministers, (b) embassy staff and (c) officials and representatives of the Governments of (i) Spain, (ii) Chile, (iii) France, (iv) Belgium and (v) Switzerland at which the subject of General Pinochet has been raised, since 1 October 1998. [110115]
Mr. Battle:
It is not possible to provide a fully comprehensive list of all the meetings at which the subject of Senator Pinochet has been raised since 1 October 1998 without incurring disproportionate costs. The matter has, inevitably, been raised on innumerable occasions.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have been held by Her Majesty's Government's representatives with the Government of Bahrain concerning the restoration of the constitution; and if he will make a statement. [109485]
Mr. Hain:
Although Bahrain's Parliament is suspended, the constitution remains in place. We take every opportunity to encourage the trend towards greater participation in the government of Bahrain. We welcome the Amirs' National Day statement in which he announced municipal elections with votes for women and expressed hopes that the Shura Council will develop in order to deepen popular participation in decision making.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what actions have been taken by United Kingdom representatives at the United Nations to promote a peace process in Somalia. [109486]
Mr. Hain:
In recent years the UN Secretary-General has regularly reported to the Security Council on Somalia. After the most recent report in August last year, the UK representative repeated our full support for the Secretary-General's efforts to promote peace in Somalia and encouraged him to review the role of the UN in Somalia, including exploration of possible support for civil society as a means of increasing the chances of achieving a comprehensive and lasting settlement. The Security Council imposed a mandatory arms embargo in its Resolution 733 of 23 January 1992. We have consistently called for it to be properly enforced.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the backlog of outstanding cases of entry clearance applications for Somali nationals, broken down by the diplomatic posts which received them. [109490]
Mr. Vaz:
Detailed information on the nationality of entry clearance applicants is not collated centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures his Department is taking to assist peace processes in Somalia; and if he will make a statement. [109491]
Mr. Hain:
Together with the rest of the international community, we have supported the efforts of regional and other interested states and regional organisations, including
14 Feb 2000 : Column: 426W
the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the Organisation of African Unity and the Arab League, to facilitate the peace process in Somalia.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |