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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Libya

Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he first examined the alleged MI6 report indicating knowledge by

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the Secret Intelligence Service of plans to overthrow Colonel Gaddafi of Libya. [111678]

Mr. Robin Cook: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the right hon. Member for Horsham (Mr. Maude) on 21 February 2000, Official Report, column 839W.

Zimbabwe

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when was the last occasion representations were made to him regarding the Matabeleland massacres in the early 1980s. [112132]

Mr. Hain: We are in regular contact with the two non-governmental organisations who jointly compiled a report on the atrocities committed in Matabeleland in the 1980s.

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when was the last occasion he made representations to the Zimbabwean Government about the Matabeleland massacres in the early 1980s. [112131]

Mr. Hain: My predecessor raised the specific issue of Matabeleland and the atrocities committed there with the Zimbabwe President in December 1998. Since then I have expressed our concerns on human rights and good governance to the President.

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reason a manuscript amendment was made to the extract from the Official Report of 9 February 2000, column 184W, attached to his answer of 17 February 2000 (ref. 110577) to the hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham, on arms exports to Zimbabwe. [111964]

Mr. Hain: Manuscript corrections were made to a copy of the Official Report attached to the answer to the hon. Member's question because of the discovery of an administrative error. This has been drawn to the attention of the Official Report. The hon. Member for Richmond Park (Dr. Tonge), who tabled the question in the first place has also been informed.

Sierra Leone

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the South African Government concerning the visit to South Africa by the Sierra Leonean rebel leader, Foday Sankoh. [111965]

Mr. Hain: As soon as we were aware that the leader of the Revolutionary United Front, Foday Sankoh, was travelling in South Africa in breach of UNSCR 1171, we raised our concern with the South African Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We requested that his visit visa be revoked. The South African Government responded quickly to ensure Foday Sankoh's prompt departure from South Africa. We understand he is currently in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.

The UK also called for an urgent meeting of the UN Sanctions Committee on Sierra Leone to discuss the breach of sanctions. The Chairman of the Committee raised Foday Sankoh's visit in a letter to the UN

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Permanent Representative of South Africa and issued a press release reminding all member states of their obligations to implement UNSCR 1171.

Kosovo

Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the progress made by European Union in its economic and infrastructure reconstruction efforts in Kosovo. [112059]

Mr. Vaz: The EU is making a major contribution to international efforts in Kosovo. The EU makes the biggest contribution to reconstruction. In 1999, the EU pledged 127 million euros. This year, the EU will make available 360 million euros, almost half of international pledges.

The main priority of the UNMIK EU reconstruction pillar, under the leadership of Mr. Joly Dixon, a British national, has been the establishment of a coherent modern macro-economic framework. EU assistance is making possible urgent repair of large numbers of homes and transport infrastructure and education facilities and, for electricity supply, generation and distribution facilities as well as paying for emergency imports of power supplies. The EU has also established a Customs Service.

Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of progress in establishing and overseeing the development of the first stage provisional democratic self-governing institutions in Kosovo. [112060]

Mr. Vaz: The UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) under the authority of Security Resolution (SCR) 1244, intend to hold municipal elections this Autumn for provisional institutions in Kosovo. UNMIK are currently preparing regulations to set up the election law and administration.

Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the progress that has been achieved in the civil implementation of the UNSCR 1244 in Kosovo. [112303]

Mr. Vaz: UNSCR 1244 charges the UN Mission in Kosovo with the establishment of provisional democratic institutions and the transfer of responsibility to the people of Kosovo. The Kosovar Albanian leadership agreed in December 1999 that they would participate in a new Joint Administrative Structure (JIAS). The Serbs have not yet joined the JIAS but the UN is hopeful that they will do so soon. Four of the 19 administrative departments under the JIAS have now been established. The Kosovo Transitional Council (KTC) will remain as a consultative body to UNMIK and has been expanded to about 40 to be more representative of Kosovo's ethnic composition including better representation of women. UNMIK intend to hold municipal elections this Autumn to provisional institutions and are preparing regulations to this end.

Moscow Visit

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list his official engagements during his recent visit to Moscow; and what planned engagements were (a) changed and (b) cancelled. [111966]

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Mr. Vaz: During his visit to Moscow, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met Acting President Putin and Foreign Minister Ivanov, Head of the Yabloko Party, Yavlinsky, and Head of the Alliance of Right Forces Coalition, Kirienko. He also signed the condolence book for former St. Petersburg Mayor Anatoly Sobchak.

As is usual during the planning of such visits, a number of possible engagements/meetings was considered. Some were changed and others could not be taken forward because of timing or availability constraints.

Scott Inquiry Recommendations

Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many recommendations of the Scott Inquiry into military and dual-use equipment sales to Iraq have been implemented since 1 May 1997; what are the reasons for the outstanding recommendations not being implemented; and if he will set out the timetable for the implementation of those recommendations accepted by ministers but not yet implemented. [110650]

Dr. Howells: I have been asked to reply.

On 1 May 1997, the recommendations contained in Sections K2 and K3 of the Scott Report, on the power of Government to control exports and on export licensing procedures respectively, remained outstanding. In response to these recommendations the Government published their White Paper on Strategic Export Controls in July 1998 (Cm 3989). The Government will announce proposals for new export control legislation in due course, following conclusion of the review of the White Paper proposals in the light of responses received. The Government are committed to introducing a new export control Bill as soon as time is available in the legislative programme.

EU Structural Funds

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total funding from European Union regional funding that was made available to the UK during 1999. [110230]

Mr. Caborn: I have been asked to reply.

The total European Union Structural Funds allocation to the United Kingdom for 1999 was 2,673 million euros, which is £1,748 million in 1999 prices. This includes the European Social Fund allocation, only part of which was for regional funding.

Official Visits

Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the planned official visits to Britain from non-EU countries in the next two months. [112129]

Mr. Robin Cook: The following are expected to visit the United Kingdom before the end of April 2000:

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There will also be a variety of other inward visits by officials of foreign governments. However, these are often planned at short notice and it is not possible to compile a consolidated list of such visits.

Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list overseas visits to non-EU destinations planned by Ministers in the next two months. [112126]

Mr. Robin Cook: It is not our practice to publish a long term programme of Ministerial travel. Visits are subject to agreement with host governments and are often changed, postponed or cancelled at short notice.

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