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China
Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to encourage further parliamentary exchanges with China. [114159]
Mr. Battle: We support and encourage parliamentary exchanges with China as part of our overall strategy of engaging China on a wide range of issues and in a variety of fora.
In particular we welcome the forthcoming visit to China by my hon. Friend the Member for Wirral, South (Mr. Chapman) and fellow members of the All-Party China Group. We also welcome the proposed visit of the All-Party Tibet Group to Tibet.
Iraq
Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the non-Iraqi recipients of money paid from the UN escrow account for the Oil for Food Programme in 1999, broken down by the amount each received and the purpose for each payment. [114367]
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Mr. Hain:
Under the current terms of the Oil for Food programme the revenues raised in each six month period are divided: 54 per cent. for food, medicine and humanitarian supplies in the centre and south, 13 per cent. for food, medicine and humanitarian supplies in the three northern governorates, 30 per cent. to the UN Compensation Fund, 2.2 per cent. for the UN's costs in administering the programme, 0.8 per cent. for the administrative costs of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC). For the 54 per cent. account, the Government of Iraq enters into contracts with suppliers of its choosing.
The United Nations website at http://www.un.org/ Departments/oip.html provides a detailed breakdown of applications made under the Oil for Food programme over the last year.
Mr. Alan Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the total amount of private sector payments made to Her Majesty's Government for staff working (a) in and (b) in conjunction with British embassies in each of the last three years. [114314]
Mr. Hain:
No payments or fees have been made by private sector companies to Her Majesty's Government in respect of staff serving at British diplomatic missions.
| £ | |
|---|---|
| 1997-98 | 276,072 |
| 1998-99 | 299,328 |
| 1999-2000 | 274,090 |
Mr. Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which companies make payments to Her Majesty's Government in relation to staff connected to British embassies. [114313]
Mr. Hain: UK companies do not make payments for such secondments but in a few cases the Foreign and Commonwealth Office makes recoveries in respect of certain items of administrative expenditure.
Since 1979, the FCO has arranged 56 secondments to British diplomatic missions overseas from 40 private sector companies. In line with HMG's policy of increased interchange with the private sector as part of the Modernising Government agenda, there are at present eight private sector secondees at posts overseas, with a further 14 secondments having been completed over the last year. These include substantive secondments of up to four years, and short-term attachments of three to six months under the Short Term Business Attachment Scheme.
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In all cases, the secondees are bound by Diplomatic Service Regulations relating to conduct and discipline, and are answerable to the head of the diplomatic post at which they are serving.
Mr. Alan Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria are used for issuing diplomatic credentials to private sector employees seconded to work in British embassies. [114312]
Mr. Hain:
All diplomatic staff working in British Missions overseas, whether they are public servants or seconded from the private sector, are accorded diplomatic status if it is required to enable them to carry out their official duties, in line with the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
Mr. Alan Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the personnel seconded or released by private sector companies to work in British embassies who are currently accorded diplomatic status. [114311]
Mr. Hain:
There are at present eight private sector secondees at British diplomatic missions overseas who hold diplomatic passports. Four are on substantive secondments of up to four years, and the others are on short-term attachments of 3-6 months under the Short Term Business Attachment Scheme. All secondees are bound by Diplomatic Service Regulations relating to conduct and discipline, and are answerable to the head of the diplomatic post at which they are serving.
It would not be appropriate to list individual secondees by name.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the private companies who pay Her Majesty's Government a fee for the placement of an employee in a trade support position in a British diplomatic post; if he will list each occurrence of such an arrangement, including payments made; and if he will make a statement on Government policy on such business-to-Government agreements at diplomatic posts. [114155]
Mr. Hain:
Private sector companies do not pay fees to HMG for the placement of their employees in British diplomatic missions overseas. HMG's policy is to increase interchange between the private sector and all British Government Departments including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Secondment programmes have been running since 1979 and present activity is an important part of the Modernising Government agenda. The programmes represent a valuable two-way sharing of expertise between the public and private sectors.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will terminate the secondment of the BNFL employee working as atomic energy counsellor in the British Embassy in Tokyo. [114196]
Mr. Hain:
No.
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6. Mr. Clifton-Brown:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation in Northern Ireland. [113220]
7. Mr. Randall:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation in Northern Ireland. [113222]
16. Mr. Paterson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation in Northern Ireland. [113232]
Mr. Ingram:
There remains a continuing potent and dangerous threat from dissident paramilitaries. There has also been a recent increase in the so-called punishment beatings which we unreservedly condemn. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State continues to keep the security situation under close review.
8. Mr. Stephen O'Brien:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total number of terrorist prisoners who have been released early under the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998; and if he will make a statement. [113223]
Mr. Ingram:
To date there have been 319 prisoners released under the terms of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998. This is drawn from information current at 7 March 2000.
9. Mr. Bill O'Brien:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the current peace negotiations in Northern Ireland. [113224]
10. Miss Kirkbride:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the progress of political talks in relation to the peace process in Northern Ireland. [113226]
19. Mr. Winnick:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the recent political developments in Northern Ireland in relation to the peace process. [113236]
20. Miss McIntosh:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress he has made towards peace in Northern Ireland. [113237]
Mr. Mandelson:
I refer my hon. Friends and the hon. Members to the reply I gave today, Official Report, column 281, to my hon. Friend the Member for Dumbarton (Mr. McFall) and the hon. Member for Lichfield (Mr. Fabricant).
12. Mrs. Anne Campbell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the prospects for re-establishing the devolved administration in Northern Ireland. [113228]
Mr. Mandelson:
I met the Irish Government and the political parties in Northern Ireland in a series of meetings last week and these consultations will continue in the U.S.
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over St. Patrick's Day. These consultations are aimed at bringing the process back on track so that the institutions can be restored to normal operation as soon as possible.
14. Mr. Plaskitt:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had with the Irish Government about the way forward for peace in Northern Ireland. [113230]
15. Mr. Blunt:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the circumstances in which he will restore powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive. [113231]
24. Mr. Simon Hughes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has for reviving the Northern Ireland Assembly and other institutions established under the Belfast agreement. [113241]
Mr. Mandelson:
I met representatives of the Irish Government last week during consultations with the political parties in Northern Ireland. From those discussions we agreed that the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement remains the best way forward to achieve stability, peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland.
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