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Restraints (Exports)
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library the report from the US Customs and Excise Service on the availability for sale within the USA of (a) hand cuffs, (b) over-size hand cuffs and (c) leg irons, manufactured by Hiatts of Birmingham, UK. [109482]
Mr. Hain [holding answer 11 February 2000]: During the course of our investigations into the allegations in The Independent newspaper on 16 November that UK-made leg-irons were on sale in the US, we received assistance from US authorities. They did not, however, provide us with any written report.
I stated in a letter to the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee on 2 February that we had completed thorough investigations into the allegations but had found no evidence that there had been a breach of the ban on the export of leg-irons. As far as we have been able to establish, it appears likely that the leg-irons in question were old stock dating back to the early 1980s prior to the statement made on 28 March 1984 by the then Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Official Report, columns 175-76.
We are also satisfied that the leg-irons mentioned in The Independent articles were not manufactured using oversized individual cuffs exported without a licence from the UK. Although we have no evidence to suggest that such single cuffs have ever been exported, there is a hypothetical loophole and amending legislation to extend controls to cover large individual cuffs is in preparation.
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Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received from the Montenegrin Government concerning the situation in (a) Montenegro, (b) Serbia, (c) Kosovo and (d) Sanjak. [109711]
Mr. Vaz
[holding answer 11 February 2000]: President Djukanovic of Montenegro visited London on 25 January. During our meeting, we discussed the situation across the whole of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last raised the establishment of a new ferry service between Spain and Gibraltar port. [109708]
Mr. Vaz
[holding answer 11 February 2000]: We would welcome the re-establishment of ferry links between Gibraltar and Spain. We have regularly drawn to the attention of the Spanish authorities the potential benefits of such links to Gibraltar and to the neighbouring regions of Spain, most recently following the publication of the report of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the next meeting in the Brussels process on Gibraltar will take place. [109710]
Mr. Vaz
[holding answer 11 February 2000]: We expect the next meeting in the Brussels Process to take place in Spain. No date has yet been fixed.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he received the expert team report on a fast patrol boat for the Royal Gibraltar Police. [109709]
Mr. Vaz
[holding answer 11 February 2000]: The expert team reported their findings at the beginning of November. As a result of the team's recommendations, HMG and the Government of Gibraltar have agreed to co-fund the purchase of a new vessel.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in negotiations with Spain over the future of Gibraltar airport. [109707]
Mr. Vaz
[holding answer 11 February 2000]: The subject of Gibraltar airport has been raised in discussion with the Governments of Spain and Gibraltar, but there are no negotiations taking place at present on the future of the airport.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last raised the issue of Gibraltar with the Spanish Foreign Ministry; and what was discussed. [109706]
Mr. Vaz
[holding answer 11 February 2000]: We regularly raise a wide range of issues related to Gibraltar with Ministers and officials of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which recommendations of the Fourth report from the Foreign Affairs Committee on Gibraltar, HC366, Session 1998-99, have been implemented. [109705]
Mr. Vaz
[holding answer 11 February 2000]: The Government's response to the Foreign Affairs Committee report on Gibraltar was laid before Parliament in October 1999 (Cd 4470). The response included detailed comments on each of the report's recommendations.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of progress in implementing the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe. [109715]
Mr. Vaz
[holding answer 11 February 2000]: The Stability Pact has made a useful start in refocussing attention on the political and economic needs of the region. The United Kingdom has been an active participant in the Pact, taking forward key initiatives such as the Investment Compact and the Media Charter. We are now working with partners in the Pact to prepare further initiatives which will be considered at a Regional Conference in March. This will be a useful opportunity to take stock of the progress that has been made.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Russian Government about its decision to lower the first-use criterion for nuclear weapons. [110328]
Mr. Vaz:
We have made no representations about the new Russian National Security Concept or Military Doctrine, neither of which make significant changes to Russian policy on the use of nuclear weapons. Russia abandoned its no first use commitment in 1993.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of Russia's decision to lower the first-use criterion for nuclear weapons; and if he will make a statement on Government policy on this decision. [110327]
Mr. Vaz:
Our assessment, supported by assurances from Russian officials, is that neither the new Russian National Security Concept or Military Doctrine make significant changes to Russian policy on the use of nuclear weapons. Russia abandoned its declared policy of no first use of nuclear weapons in 1993. There has therefore been no change of British policy towards Russia.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations (a) he and (b) the Falkland Islands' Governor have received from (i) the Falkland Islands Government and (ii) individual Falklands councillors about the withdrawal of the South Atlantic guardship. [110326]
Mr. Battle:
I refer to the answer of 27 January 2000 from my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces to the hon. Member for Croydon, South
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(Mr. Ottaway), Official Report, column 227W. In response to recent press speculation we have assured the Falkland Islands Government that there are no plans to withdraw the Falkland Islands Guardship or otherwise reduce naval patrols in the South Atlantic. The Governor of the Falkland Islands informed Legislative Councillors accordingly. They thanked the Governor for this assurance and expressed the view that it would not be appropriate to reduce such patrols.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Ministry of Defence about the diplomatic and security consequences of withdrawing the South Atlantic guardship. [110333]
Mr. Battle:
My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I have had no such discussions with the Ministry of Defence. There are no plans to withdraw the Falkland Islands Guardship or otherwise reduce naval patrols in the South Atlantic.
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on representations to which he has been a party concerning the prosecution of the war in Chechnya. [108539]
Mr. Vaz:
We have made frequent representations to the Russian government since the outbreak of hostilities in Chechnya, as has the EU. Most recently I raised the matter with Russian Foreign Minister Ivanov by telephone on 31 December 1999 and 11 January 2000.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from human rights organisations about the scale of civilian suffering in Chechnya; and if he will make a statement. [110331]
Mr. Vaz:
We have received representations about the scale of civilian suffering in Chechnya from a wide number of sources, including Amnesty International, Medecins sans Frontieres and other NGOs. We have repeatedly made representations to the Russian government about the indiscriminate use of force in Chechnya and its impact on the civilian population, urging them to seek a political solution. The UK has given £1.4 million to UNHCR/ICRC appeals for humanitarian relief in Chechnya.
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