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NORTHERN IRELAND
Regulatory Reform
Mr. Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which Minister in his Department has responsibility for regulatory reform; and if he will make a statement. [117419]
Mr. Ingram: During suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive, I am responsible for regulatory reform.
PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL
Appointments Commission
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the President of the Council how many applicants were identified as being suitable for appointment as Chairman of the Appointments Commission; when the appointment will be made; and if she will make a statement. [116125]
Mrs. Beckett: A short list of applicants to be interviewed for the position of Chairman of the independent and non-statutory Appointments Commission has now been drawn up.
The plan is still that the appointment should be made around Easter although the priority will be to get the best person for the job.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Grimsby (Employment)
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Minister of State for Europe's letter of 21 March on the threat to employment in Grimsby, if he will list the industries and firms in which the threatened workers are employed, and how many such jobs will be lost. [116832]
Mr. Vaz: Britain in Europe's research was based on a national estimate of British jobs dependent on servicing EU export markets. The figures were broken down by constituency based on share of national employment within that constituency and its industrial breakdown. This methodology makes it impossible to predict precisely which jobs would be lost.
Britain in Europe
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will estimate the cost of his circulating hon. Members with material from Britain in Europe about the effect of withdrawal from the EU on jobs. [116728]
Mr. Vaz:
It is standard parliamentary practice for Members of Parliament to circulate information in the House. There was no cost to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
4 Apr 2000 : Column: 408W
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures he took to assess the reliability of the study by Professor Iain Begg on jobs dependent on United Kingdom membership of the European Union, details of which he circulated to hon. Members. [116976]
Mr. Vaz:
The European Institute of South Bank University is a highly respected academic institution. Professor Begg is a respected and well-known economist who has published widely on European economic issues. His methodology is described in the report, which is publicly available.
Dr. Starkey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations his Department has had over the implications of the American proposals for a national missile defence system with the Governments of (a) Denmark, (b) Canada, (c) other EU member states, (d) Russia, (e) China and (f) other countries. [116727]
Mr. Vaz:
We have discussed issues relating to the United States' proposals for National Missile Defence with a range of countries, including all those individually mentioned, in the course of regular consultations on security-related issues.
Dr. Starkey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the implications for Britain of agreeing to the use of facilities in the United Kingdom as part of the US national missile defence system. [116726]
Mr. Vaz:
We have received no request to this effect, nor would we expect any until after a US decision on whether or not to proceed with deployment of such a system. If the US were to ask for our assistance we would examine any such request carefully, taking account of the implications for the UK.
Dr. Starkey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had, and when, with representatives of the US Government about American plans for a national missile defence system. [116724]
Mr. Vaz:
We have discussed, and continue to discuss many aspects of National Missile Defence with the United States across a range of Government Departments, on many occasions. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed the issue with Mrs. Albright when he visited Washington in February.
Dr. Starkey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the implications for (a) arms control and (b) the forthcoming conference on review of the Non-Proliferation Treaty of the proposed US national missile defence system. [116725]
Mr. Vaz:
The US made clear that the President will not decide on NMD deployment before the summer at the earliest, and that there is a range of complex issues, including the need to preserve strategic stability, that they need to consider beforehand.
4 Apr 2000 : Column: 409W
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings Ministers in his Department have held with members and officials of the United States Government to discuss the proposed US plan to deploy a national missile defence system since 1 January 1999; when each meeting took place; where each meeting took place; which Ministers were involved at each meeting; which members and officials of the United States Government attended each meeting; and from which United States Government Department they were drawn. [117061]
Mr. Vaz:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Milton Keynes, South-west (Dr. Starkey) today, Official Report, column 408W, in response to her question, ref. 116724.
Mr. Cotter:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Minister in his Department has responsibility for regulatory reform; and if he will make a statement. [117423]
Mr. Robin Cook:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today to my hon. Friend the Member for Scarborough and Whitby (Mr. Quinn) by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office.
Mr. Loughton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost was to diplomatic posts in Brazil of the recent visit by the Secretary of State for Environment, Transport and the Regions. [117768]
Mr. Battle:
My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister led a delegation of 13 business men representing a wide range of industry and sectors campaigning to increase the UK's market share in Brazil.
The cost to our Diplomatic Posts in Brazil was £10,746. This figure includes accommodation costs, official reception, and the travel costs of the Ambassador and Embassy staff supporting the Deputy Prime Minister and the accompanying business delegation.
Mr. Loughton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what modes of transport were used by the Secretary of State for Environment, Transport and the Regions during his recent visit to Brazil. [117770]
Mr. Battle:
Commercial flights were used to travel to and from Brazil and between Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia and Sao Paulo; and cars, people-carriers and coaches were used by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister and accompanying business delegation in the cities.
Mr. Loughton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role was played by diplomatic posts in Brazil in the recent visit by the Secretary of State for Environment, Transport and the Regions. [117769]
Mr. Battle:
The diplomatic posts in Brazil made the programme arrangements, and provided advice and administrative support.
4 Apr 2000 : Column: 410W
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the oral statement of the Minister of State of 24 March 2000, Official Report, column 1293 on Iraq, how many Iraqis visited the UK in (a) 1989 and (b) 1999. [116884]
Mrs. Roche:
I have been asked to reply.
Total admissions of Iraqi visitors to the United Kingdom were 11,700 in 1989 and 2,900 (provisional) in 1999.
20. Mr. Nicholas Winterton:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the future of parish and town councils. [116163]
Ms Beverley Hughes:
Our policy on parish and town councils was set out in the White Paper "Modern Local Government: In Touch with the People". Parish councils are an essential part of the structure of local democracy in this country and they will continue to play a key role in many of our towns and villages.
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