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Job Losses
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 4 April 2000, Official Report, column 407W, on employment in Grimsby, if he will set out the methodology used in the calculation of aggregate job losses for all constituencies in the United Kingdom. [118867]
Mr. Vaz: Britain in Europe commissioned this survey from South Bank University. My hon. Friend should approach the organisations concerned for details of their research methodology.
Energy Efficiency
Mr. Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the percentage change compared to 1990-91 in his Department's energy efficiency in each year since 1990-91; and if he will make a statement. [118988]
Mr. Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the then Under-Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, my hon. Friend the Member for Mansfield (Mr. Meale), to my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, South-East (Dr. Iddon) on 22 July 1999, Official Report, columns 580-84W, which reported progress for all central Government Departments by 31 March 1998. We hope that results for the period up to March 1999 will be published shortly.
18 Apr 2000 : Column: 412W
Mr. Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his Department's energy efficiency performance target, expressed as a percentage change in comparison to 1990-91, for each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement. [118989]
Mr. Hain: The FCO's energy efficiency performance target from April 2000 is the target set across the Government estate of an annual 1 per cent. reduction in greenhouse gas emissions against 1999-2000 levels.
Middle East
Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact of the construction of the planned bypass roads in the West Bank on the future economic viability of a Palestinian state. [118949]
Mr. Hain: Territory, and other issues which may have an impact on the viability of any future Palestinian state, should be determined in negotiation between the two parties, rather than predetermined by the unilateral acts of either.
Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Israeli Government in response to their announcement of the re-activation of the building programme of bypass roads in the West Bank. [118985]
Mr. Hain: We consider all settlement activity in the West Bank to be illegal and unhelpful to the peace process. We frequently make this view clear to the Israeli Government, and will continue to do so.
Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what safeguards are included in the second phase of the European Union's assistance programme to the Palestinian Authority in support of counter-terrorism to ensure that human rights are protected. [118968]
Mr. Battle: EU member states recognise the importance of human rights in their Counter-Terrorism Assistance Programme with the Palestinian Authority. Under Phase I of the programme, there was a dedicated human rights project run by the Wallenberg Institute of Sweden. This will continue under Phase II, although the EU member state(s) has/have not yet been chosen.
The UK, along with all EU member states, regards human rights as an important and integral part of the programme and takes every opportunity to convey this message to the Palestinian Authority. Human rights aspects of all projects under the programme are carefully monitored.
Geneva Conventions 1949
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which countries have accepted the competence, without special agreement, of the International Fact-Finding Commission authorised under Article 90 of Additional Protocol I of 1977 to the Geneva Conventions of 1949. [119476]
18 Apr 2000 : Column: 413W
Mr. Hain: The following countries have accepted the competence of the International Fact-Finding Commission in accordance with the provisions of Article 90 of Additional Protocol I:
- Algeria
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Bolivia
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Brazil
Bulgaria
Belarus
Canada
Cape Verde
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Croatia
- Czech Republic
Denmark
Finland
Germany
Greece
Guinea
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Laos
Liechenstein
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malta
Mongolia
Namibia
Netherlands
- New Zealand
Norway
Panama
Paraguay
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russia
- Rwanda
Seychelles
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Tajikistan
Togo
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom; and
18 Apr 2000 : Column: 414W
Ministerial Visits (Turkey and Malta)
Mr. McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) Turkish and (b) Maltese Ministers are scheduled to visit the UK during the next 12 months; when the visits will take place; and if he will make a statement. [119290]
Mr. Vaz: We expect our close relations with both Turkey and Malta to be supplemented by visits to the UK from Turkish and Maltese Ministers over the next 12 months. However, at present, no dates have been fixed for any visits.
A number of senior Turkish Ministers have recently visited the UK. The Turkish Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, Minister for Agriculture and Minister for Privatisation visited in 1999; the Labour and Social Security Minister and the Interior Minister have already visited this year.
Both the Maltese Foreign Minister and Finance Minister visited the UK in 1999.
Mr. McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what ministerial visits are being planned to Turkey and Malta over the next 12 months; for what purposes; and if he will make a statement. [119291]
Mr. Vaz: We expect our close relations with both Turkey and Malta to be supplemented by visits from UK Ministers over the next 12 months. I hope to visit both countries during the next 12 months.
A number of British Ministers have recently visited Turkey. My hon. Friend the Member for Cunninghame, North (Mr. Wilson), formerly the Minister for Trade, my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, North (Mr. Henderson), formerly the Minister for the Armed Forces, and my right hon. Friend the Member for Gateshead, East and Washington, West (Ms Quin), formerly Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, visited in 1999.
In the same capacity, my right hon. Friend also visited Malta in 1999.
Entry Waiting Times (Sub-continent)
Mr. Ian Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the waiting times in each queue for entry to the United Kingdom in (a) Bombay, (b) New Delhi, (c) Islamabad and (d) Dhaka; and by how much each has (a) increased and (b) decreased in the last 12 months. [119243]
Mr. Vaz: The statistics requested are as follows:
Notes:
Tier 3: Non-settlement (visit) applications
Q1-Q4: Settlement applications
Q1: Right of Abode cases and Dependent Relatives over 65
Q2: Spouses and children under 18
Q3: Fiance(e)s and other First Time Applicants
Q4: Re-applicants
18 Apr 2000 : Column: 415W
Chechnya
Mr. McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 30 March 2000, Official Report, column 267W, if he will ensure that United Kingdom and Russian efforts to work together to combat terrorism do not include assistance for the activities of the Russian security forces in Chechnya. [119591]
Terrorism
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received concerning the proposed (a) International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism and (b) International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings; what plans he has to seek the views of the Northern Ireland Commission on Human Rights; and what plans he has made to open the consultation process concerning the conventions to non-governmental organisations. [118974]
Mr. Battle: We have received no recent representations concerning these Conventions, both of which the UK signed on the day they were opened for signature in January 2000 and January 1998 respectively.
The Government have no plans to seek the views of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission or re-open a consultation process to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) at this stage. The Terrorism Bill, which provides the vehicle for the implementation of both these conventions in UK domestic law, was subject to a long and comprehensive consultation process which included the views of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and all interested NGOs. The Government have stated their intention to ratify both these Conventions. If organisations would like to comment on any aspect of the ratification process they are welcome to do so.
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