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Pensions

Mr. Flynn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will hypothecate the proceeds from privatisations, semi- privatisations and outsourcing of services for the purpose of increasing the level of the basic pension. [122105]

Mr. Andrew Smith [holding answer 15 May 2000]: No. The Government will be spending an additional £6.5 billion on pensioners over the course of this Parliament, £2.5 billion more than if the basic state pension had been increased in line with earnings. We are helping all pensioners, but targeting help on those who have lost out over the last 20 years. Over half of these additional resources are going to 3 million of Britain's poorest pensioners. As a result of all our measures, including the introduction and uprating of the minimum income guarantee in line with earnings, raising the winter fuel payment to £150 and the introduction of free TV licences for pensioners aged over 75, the poorest pensioners over 75 will be up to £950 better off in cash terms than in 1997.

The Government make their spending decisions based on what is affordable within the prudent control of the public finances. In general, the Government believe that how money is raised should not determine how it is spent, and spending priorities are best determined in the round. The Chancellor's recent Budget continued to build a platform of economic stability from which to deliver high and stable levels of growth and employment, while releasing substantial new resources for its key priorities, including extra support for pensioners.

Insurance Brokers Registration Act 1977

Mr. Greenway: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to take steps to repeal the Insurance Brokers Registration Act 1977. [R] [122168]

Miss Melanie Johnson: In response to a request from the Insurance Brokers Registration Council, the Government have decided that the repeal of this Act will take effect on 30 April 2001.

Institutional Investment

Mrs. Lawrence: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made on the review of institutional investment by Mr. Paul Myners. [122716]

Mr. Timms: A consultation document is being launched by Paul Myners today, and will be available on the Treasury website (hm-treasury.gov.uk). Printed copies will be available tomorrow, and will be placed in the Library of the House.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

European Commission (Nice Proposals)

17. Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the President of the European Commission to discuss proposals to be agreed at Nice. [120886]

Mr. Robin Cook: I meet the President of the Commission regularly, including at the monthly meetings of the General Affairs Council.

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We expect two main issues for agreement at the Nice European Council. First, the agreement to reform of the European Union to prepare it for enlargement, on which we share with France the key objective of securing a reweighting of votes in favour of larger members. Secondly, conclusion of the arrangements for the European Security Initiative, on which France has been our partner since we launched it jointly at St. Malo. The French Presidency is also mandated to take forward the conclusions of the Lisbon European Summit, at which Britain secured Europe's commitment to our agenda of economic reform and full employment.

Chechnya

18. Mr. Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had recently with Governments in the north Caucasus regarding the situation in Chechnya. [120887]

Mr. Vaz: My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary have regular discussions with the Russian Government on Chechnya, most recently when Mr. Putin visited London on 17 April, during a telephone conversation on 27 March, and during my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's visit to St. Petersburg on 11 March. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary raised Chechnya during his visit to Moscow on 22/23 February and expects to discuss it again tomorrow when he returns to Moscow for official talks.

Zimbabwe

19. Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement regarding the proposed gift of public money to fund the acquisition of white-owned farms in Zimbabwe. [120889]

23. Mr. Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking to assist the holding of free and fair elections in Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement. [120893]

26. Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his latest contacts with the Government of Zimbabwe. [120898]

Mr. Hain: I refer the hon. Member and my hon. Friends to the oral answer my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary gave earlier in the House today to the hon. Member for Cotswold (Mr. Clifton-Brown), Official Report, column 131.

Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the prospects for free and fair elections in Zimbabwe. [122003]

Mr. Hain: We note the recent statement by the Zimbabwe Electoral Supervisory Commission that free and fair elections could not be held under conditions of mounting political violence which has killed at least 19 people in the past three months. We have called all along for a fair election, free from political intimidation. It is not too late for President Mugabe to restore an environment conducive to free and fair elections.

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Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had regarding independent monitoring of elections in Zimbabwe with (a) the Commonwealth, (b) the European Union, (c) the United Nations and (d) other organisations. [122002]

Mr. Hain: We are working closely with the Commonwealth, EU, UN and other partners to ensure that international election observers are deployed to Zimbabwe as soon as possible, and in sufficient numbers to allow them to observe the pre-election preparations and to speak authoritatively on the conduct of the poll.

Mr. Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the action being taken to agree the presence in Zimbabwe of election, human rights and democracy observers including those from the Organisation of African Unity and the EU. [122268]

Mr. Hain: The Commonwealth Secretary-General and a team of experts and a team from the European Commission are visiting Zimbabwe to prepare for the deployment of Commonwealth and EU observers. We are in touch with the OAU but do not yet have details of its plans.

Indonesia

20. Mr. David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support the Government are giving to the Government of Indonesia to help them combat the problems of ethnic conflict. [120890]

Mr. Robin Cook: I raised the issue of ethnic tension when I met President Wahid in February. We fully support his efforts to secure stability in the areas of conflict and we welcome signature in Geneva at the weekend of a ceasefire in Aceh. Britain has already funded initiatives to promote reconciliation in Maluku and we are fully supporting the efforts of the United Nations Development Programme in the region. We are ready to help in any realistic and sensible way in reducing ethnic tensions and violence.

Middle East

21. Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of when the peace accords between (a) the Palestinian Authority and Israel, (b) Lebanon and Israel and (c) Syria and Israel will be signed; and if he will make a statement. [120891]

Mr. Hain: I have just returned from Syria and the Lebanon and we continue to work hard to achieve success in the Middle East Peace Process which is at an important stage.

33. Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his current assessment is of the middle east peace process. [120905]

Mr. Hain: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the oral answer I gave today to my hon. Friend the Member for Milton Keynes, South-West (Dr. Starkey), Official Report, column 146.

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Anglo-Swiss Relations

22. Dr. Palmer: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Anglo-Swiss relations. [120892]

Mr. Vaz: UK/Swiss relations are excellent and Switzerland is an important trading partner for the UK.

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