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International Criminal Court
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which countries have ratified the treaty establishing the International Criminal Court; and when he expects the UK to ratify the treaty. [112925]
Mr. Hain: Seven countries have ratified the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court to date: Senegal, Trinidad and Tobago, San Marino, Italy, Fiji, Ghana and Norway. The UK will ratify as soon as the necessary primary legislation has been passed.
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to introduce draft legislation to enable the UK to comply with the treaty to establish an international criminal court. [112928]
Mr. Hain: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Paisley, South (Mr. Alexander) on 1 December 1999, Official Report, column 258W.
Chechnya
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what monitoring of human rights in Chechnya is being undertaken by his Department; and what departmental representatives have visited Chechnya. [112696]
Mr. Vaz: We monitor a wide range of sources on the human rights situation in Chechnya, including international humanitarian and human rights organisations and the Russian and Western media. An FCO official visited Chechnya as part of an OSCE delegation in February 1995; he was subsequently seconded to the OSCE Assistance Group in Grozny from August to December 1996 and served as an election observer in the Chechen Presidential elections in January 1997. No departmental representatives have visited Chechnya since then, in view of the serious deterioration of the security situation. But our Embassy in Moscow and experts in London continue to monitor the situation closely.
Sri Lanka
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent involvement his Department has had in the search for a peaceful solution to the conflict in Sri Lanka; and if he will make a statement. [112703]
Mr. Hain: I refer my hon. Friend to the answers I gave on 18 January 2000, Official Report, column 416W and 6 December 1999, Official Report, column 401W.
India and Pakistan
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what factors were taken into
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account by his Department in the evaluation of export licence applications to (a) India and (b) Pakistan during 1998. [112700]
Mr. Hain:
All export licence applications to India and Pakistan are considered on a case-by-case basis against the UK national criteria on arms sales and, since June 1998, the EU code of conduct. Following India and Pakistan's nuclear tests in May 1998, the UK introduced additional measures. These measures are set out in the statement made to the House by the then Minister of State, the hon. the Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd), on 10 July 1998, Official Report, columns 687-88.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the agreement relating to the loan of Diego Garcia to the United States with special reference to the stocking of anti-personnel land mines. [113352]
Mr. Vaz:
The 1966 Exchange of Notes between the UK and the USA concerning the availability of the British Indian Ocean Territory for defence purposes provides for the Territory to remain available to meet the defence needs of both Governments, while remaining under UK sovereignty. There are no US APM on Diego Garcia. We understand that the US stores munitions of various kinds on US warships anchored off Diego Garcia. Such vessels enjoy state immunity and are therefore outside the UK's jurisdiction and control. The US understands the importance we attach to their adherence to the Ottawa Convention as soon as possible.
Mr. Drew:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the advice he has received on resuming the licensing of Hawk jets to (a) Indonesia and (b) Zimbabwe. [113213]
Mr. Hain:
This Government have not issued any export licences for the sale of Hawk jets to either Indonesia or Zimbabwe. Such licences were, however, issued by the previous Administration.
Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what representations, at what level, were made to the Spanish Foreign Ministry following the diversion of the Renaissance cruise liner R2 from its intended docking in Gibraltar on 27 February; [113132]
(3) when he will advise the European Commission on the circumstances surrounding the diversion of the Renaissance cruise liner R2 from its intended docking in Gibraltar; and if he will make a statement on the implications of this incident for (a) Community law compliance and (b) bilateral relations with Spain. [113131]
Mr. Vaz:
The British Ambassador in Madrid raised the issue of the Renaissance Cruises liner R2 with the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Spanish Prime
6 Mar 2000 : Column: 505W
Minister's Office over the weekend. The Spanish Ambassador in London was summoned to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 28 February to discuss the issue. Later the same day, the Spanish Government's spokesman said that the problem relating to movements of this vessel between Gibraltar and Spanish ports had been resolved. The liner R2 docked in Gibraltar on schedule on 2 March.
The vessel in question is American-owned and Liberian- registered. We are not aware of European Community law directly relevant to the exact circumstances of this case.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his UN counterparts concerning the establishment of an international tribunal to try those suspected of crimes against humanity and human rights violations in East Timor. [112827]
Mr. Hain:
We have held extensive discussions at the UN and elsewhere, including with the Indonesian Government and the East Timorese leaders, on how to ensure those responsible for the grave human rights violations in East Timor are brought to justice.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received concerning fighting in the Heglig and Unity oil fields in Sudan. [112832]
Mr. Hain:
We continue to receive troubling reports of fighting in the Upper Nile; most recently last week. Much of the fighting is factional, but there have also been attacks on Government forces.
The SPLA and other opposition forces have made clear that they see oil installations as military targets.
Peace in the Sudan remains a priority. The UK has been and will continue to be active in promoting peace in the Sudan.
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Indonesia regarding the repatriation of East Timorese refugees; [112825]
Mr. Battle:
We have received several representations about access to the refugee camps in West Timor for UNHCR and other agencies. I visited the camps myself on 19 January to see at first hand the situation on the ground. Our Ambassador and others from our Jakarta Embassy have also visited since then. Over 140,000 refugees have now returned to East Timor, but up to 100,000 remain. We are concerned that militia activity continues in the camps, but are encouraged by reports that security forces have recently been dispatched to ensure the safety of officials and aid agency representatives as they try to establish the wishes of the remaining refugees. While many of them may choose not to return, we will
6 Mar 2000 : Column: 506W
continue to press the Indonesian authorities to allow those who wish to return to East Timor to do so safely and securely.
Helen Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will investigate the salary on-call payments and mileage payments made to senior staff of Integrate Services while the organisation was in receipt of a section 64 grant. [104822]
Mr. Hutton:
We have no plans at this time to investigate the salary on-call payments and mileage payments made to senior staff of Integrate Services while the organisation was in receipt of a grant under section 64 of the 1968 Act. Health authorities make section 64 grants to voluntary organisations out of their general allocation. Section 64 grants are subject to the rules and scrutiny processes for propriety and regularity that govern all health authority expenditure. Integrate Services is currently the subject of an inquiry by the Charity Commissioners.
Helen Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to investigate the use of a section 64 grant by Integrate Services to purchase holiday facilities; and if he will make a statement. [104819]
Mr. Hutton:
We have no plans at this time to investigate the purchase of holiday facilities by Integrate Services while in receipt of a grant under section 64 of the 1968 Act. Health authorities make section 64 grants to voluntary organisations out of their general allocation. Section 64 grants are subject to the rules and scrutiny processes for propriety and regularity that govern all health authority expenditure. Integrate Services is currently the subject of an inquiry by the Charity Commissioners.
Helen Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that all organisations in receipt of section 64 grants comply with the requirements of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998. [111821]
Mr. Hutton
[holding answer 1 March 2000]: The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 protects workers who disclose information about certain types of matters from being dismissed or penalised by their employers as a result. Section 64 grants awarded by health authorities are subject to the rules and scrutiny processes for propriety and regularity that govern all health authority expenditure. Section 64 grants awarded by Ministers to national voluntary organisations include a condition that a voluntary organisation, and anyone acting on its behalf, must comply with the law for the time being in force in the United Kingdom.
(2) if he will make a statement on the circumstances surrounding the diversion of Renaissance cruise liner R2 scheduled to dock at Gibraltar on 27 February; [113133]
(2) what representations he has received concerning UNHCR access to refugees in West Timor; and if he will make a statement. [112826]
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