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European Security
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs where responsibility lies for ensuring democratic oversight of the European Security and Defence Identity and ESDP. [121756]
Mr. Vaz: We are committed to parliamentary scrutiny of defence matters. In addition to the work of this House and that of the House of Lords on defence and security matters, Members of this Parliament sit in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and the WEU Assembly. Any new defence arrangements within the EU will constitute part of the Common Foreign and Security Policy. The European Parliament is consulted about the main aspects and basic choices of the CFSP, all of whose decisions are submitted to the Scrutiny Committees of Parliament.
Chechnya
Mr. David Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution he made to the 106th Session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on 12 and 13 May on war crimes and human rights violation in Chechnya; what response he has made to Recommendation 1456 (2000) of the Parliamentary Assembly; and if he will make a statement. [123295]
Mr. Vaz: Due to pressing parliamentary business, no UK Minister was able to attend the 106th session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on 10 and 11 May; the UK was represented by our Ambassador, Mr. Andrew Carter. Mr. Carter was closely involved, on the basis of instructions, in the preparation of the influential statement to the meeting delivered by Portugal on behalf of the European Union and in the drafting of the final communique. The Chairman of the meeting, Mr. Brian Cowen, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ireland, has made clear that the formal response to Recommendation 1456 (2000) of the Parliamentary
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Assembly is to be formulated by the Committee of Ministers before the Parliamentary Assembly next meets, from 26-30 June.
UN Earth Summit
Mr. Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is his policy to support the bid by South Africa to host the UN Earth Summit 2002. [123432]
Mr. Hain: UK Ministers have warmly welcomed South Africa's bid to host the UN Earth Summit 2002. The main UK objective at this stage is to ensure that a venue is agreed as soon as possible, so that the real work of preparing the Summit can begin.
British Firms (Government Support)
Mr. Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on measures to clarify the Government's support for British firms trading internationally. [123866]
Mr. Battle: I am pleased to announce, also on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Minister for Trade, that the Government's support for international trade will in future be delivered under a single brand name.
Trade Partners UK will be the new name for the Government's network of support for British companies trading in world markets. Trade partners UK will replace the various promotional brands that have been used in the past and will make services clearer, more effective and easier to access. The aim is to encourage more firms--particularly Small and Medium Enterprises--to develop an international dimension to their business. We shall continue to provide support for those that are already successful outside the UK and we shall seek out and help UK firms with the potential to develop new opportunities in overseas markets.
The new brand will make the full range and reach of services much clearer to customers through the launch on 31 May 2000 of a new internet based "gateway"--www.tradepartners.gov.uk. The gateway will provide access to services for people on the move, anywhere in the world. By the end of this year, all the basic information available on international markets and business sectors will be available electronically. These new interactive services will play a crucial part in the Government's plan to make the United Kingdom a world leader in the knowledge economy by 2002.
Trade Partners UK will also act as a quality standard to show that the services, activities and organisations with which it is associated are endorsed by the Government's international trade development and promotion effort.
British Trade International will continue to provide the co-ordination for the services which now fall under the Trade Partners UK brand, working in partnership with Government departments, Devolved Administrations and regional bodies. British Trade International will continue to act as a voice within government for exporters and companies investing overseas.
Secondments
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff from
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his Department were seconded to private sector companies in (a) May 1997 to April 1998, (b) May 1998 to April 1999 and (c) May 1999 to April 2000; and if he will list in each case the companies to which staff were sent, the names and ranks of the staff involved and the duration of the secondment. [123425]
Mr. Battle: There were (a) 19 staff seconded to the private sector between May 1997 and April 1998, (b) 26 between May 1998 and April 1999 and (c) 27 between May 1999 and April 2000. The organisations involved were China Britain Business Council, Rolls-Royce, British Aerospace, International Committee of the Red Cross, Unilever, Shell, Standard Chartered Bank, Glencree Centre, New Millennium Experience Company, London Chamber of Commerce, BOC, PrincewaterhouseCoopers, BP Amoco, British Invisibles, Institute of Exports, Prince's Trust, Halcrow, AMEC, CBI, Smithkline Beecham International, Open Broadcast Network, Andersen Consulting, Oldham Chamber of Commerce, ICL, London First Centre, Fidelity, Reading University and Lehman Brothers.
The terms of each secondment differ. The rank of the officers varied between junior and senior management. The duration of secondments varied from three to thirty eight months. Please see the table.
It is not normal practice to name civil servants.
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LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Secondments
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many staff from his Department were seconded to private sector companies in (a) May 1997 to April 1998, (b) May 1998 to April 1999 and (c) May 1999 to April 2000; and if he will list in each case the companies to which staff were sent, the names and ranks of the staff involved and the duration of the secondment. [123420]
Mr. Lock: Figures are available only for the period 1 April to 31 March each year and, for 1997-98 and 1998-99, are given in the table. The only secondments for more than three months were those arising under the terms of a Public Private Partnership with CSL Managed Services for accounting, IT and payroll services. Returns for 1999-2000 have not yet been commissioned but are likely to reflect a significant reduction in numbers now that the seconded staff have either returned to work for the Department or opted to transfer permanently to CSL.
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| 1997-98 | 1998-99 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Secondments of more than three months | Secondments of less than three months | Secondments of more than three months | Secondments of less than three months | |
| SCS(8) | 0 | (10)2 | 0 | (11)1 |
| SCS(9) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Grades 6, 7 and SEO(8) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Grades 6, 7 and SEO(9) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| HEO and EO(8) | 14 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| HEO and EO(9) | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Below EO(8) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Below EO(9) | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Total | (12)23 | 2 | (12)22 | 1 |
(8) Male
(9) Female
(10) One to Shanks and McEwan Southern Waste Services Ltd. and one to the Halifax
(11) To Aon Risk Services Ltd.
(12) All to CSL Managed Services Ltd.
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