House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 20 Mar 2000 (pt 6)

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Public Bodies

Dr. Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs as of 1 April 1999, which of the executive and advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) were required to publish annual reports, (b) were required to publish annual accounts, (c) were subject to a full audit by the National Audit Office, (d) were under the jurisdiction of the Parliamentary Ombudsman or other ombudsmen, (e) had their own complaints procedure, (f) were required to observe the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, (g) possessed a register of Members' interests, (h) allowed the public to inspect a register of Members' interests, (i) were subject to a public right to attend board meetings or committee meetings, (j) were obliged to release reports of meetings, (k) were subject to a public right to inspect agendas of meetings, (l) were subject to a public right to see minutes of meetings, (m) were required to hold public meetings, (n) (i) maintained an internet site and (ii) were developing an internet site and (o) had been subject to a quinquennial review within the last year, including a continuing review. [114166]

Mr. Hain: All executive and advisory NDPBs sponsored by our Department on 1 April 1999 were required to publish annual reports; to publish annual accounts (where they had significant expenditure of their own); to operate in accordance with the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information; and to draw up, and make publicly available on request, a Register of Members' Interests. All NDPBs were also encouraged to hold meetings in public and to release or otherwise make available records of meetings. There was, however, no statutory requirement or obligation for them to do so.

Information on audit arrangements for executive NDPBs is set out in Public Bodies 1999. Information on which NDPBs maintain their own website can be accessed from the Cabinet Office quango website (www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/quango).

The Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission was subject to a quinquennial review during 1998.

Uganda

Ms Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures he has taken to encourage the peaceful resolution of the conflict in Northern Uganda; and if he will encourage the Ugandan and Sudanese Governments to enter into negotiations with all the warring parties. [115219]

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Mr. Hain: We welcomed the bilateral agreement signed by Uganda and Sudan last December in Nairobi. Successful implementation will increase stability in the region and help secure the release and return of abducted children. We are encouraging the Governments in both Kampala and Khartoum to honour these commitments.

We have consistently urged the Government of Uganda to seek a negotiated settlement to the conflict in Northern Uganda. I welcomed the Government's decision to pass amnesty legislation when I saw President Museveni last October. But this is just one element towards a negotiated settlement which must also involve commitment on all sides to reconciliation and rehabilitation. We continue to encourage the Government of Uganda to open direct dialogue with the Lords Resistance Army (LRA). The Department for International Development is also supporting a number of projects in the North aimed at promoting peace, rehabilitation and development, as well as responding to some humanitarian needs.

Peat Compost

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 22 February 2000, Official Report, column 941W, on peat compost, what percentage of the compost used in his Department's estate gardens is peat; when use of peat compost will be phased out on his Department's estates; and if he will make a statement. [115236]

Mr. Hain: No peat is used on the FCO's estate. There is no information available on what our overseas Posts use, but FCO purchasing guidance states that peat should be avoided.

Fundamental Rights Charter

Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in respect of the Convention on a draft Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU, if he will list (a) the participant from each member state or other appointing body, (b) the composition and tasks of its, (i) working groups, (ii) drafting Committee and (iii) Editorial Committee, (c) the dates when these groups and the Plenary of the Convention (1) have met and (2) plan to meet and (d) what (x) oral and (y) written evidence from his Department has been reported by select committees of the House concerning the Convention. [115249]

Mr. Vaz: (a) The current membership of the EU Charter Convention is:

Member States Representatives

Lord Goldsmith, QC--United Kingdom

to be announced--Austria

Jean-Luc Dehaene--Belgium

Dr. Erling Olsen--Denmark

Paavo Nikula--Finland

Guy Braibant--France

Roman Herzog (Chair)--Germany

George Papadimitriou--Greece

Michael O'Kennedy--Ireland

Stefano Rodota--Italy