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Nuclear Fuel (Reprocessing)

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his policy is in respect of the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel. [124232]

Mrs. Liddell [holding answer 5 June 2000]: The Government's policy on spent fuel management is set out in United Kingdom Civil Nuclear Policy Including Plutonium, which was presented to the House in January 1998.

Performance Targets

(Employment Tribunals Service)

Ms Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what targets he has set the Employment Tribunals Service for 2000-01. [125066]

Mr. Byers: I have set the following targets for the Employment Tribunals Service for 2000-01:

to bring to a first hearing at least 85 per cent. of single employment tribunal cases within 26 weeks of receipt;

in relation to the above target, all employment tribunal offices to achieve at least 75 per cent.;

to issue at least 85 per cent. of decisions within four weeks of the final hearing;

to reduce administrative unit costs in the employment tribunals by 5 per cent. in real terms;

at least 85 per cent. of employment tribunal users to express satisfaction, in surveys, with the service offered by ETS;

at least 90 per cent. of appeals registered by the Employment Appeal Tribunal for preliminary hearing to be ready for listing within six weeks.

Postal Services Commission

Mr. Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will announce the membership of the Postal Services Commission. [125067]

Mr. Byers: Mr. Robin Aaronson, Mr. Tony Cooper, Ms Julia Kaufmann OBE, Ms Janet Lewis-Jones, and Mr. Ken Olisa are being appointed as members of the Postal Services Commission. They start work immediately. It is anticipated that they will be appointed as members of the statutory body of the same name that is expected to be created following the passing of the Postal Services Bill currently before Parliament. The appointment of the Chairman of the Commission, Mr. Graham Corbett CBE,

6 Jun 2000 : Column: 187W

was announced on 16 March and that of the Chief Executive, Mr. Martin Stanley, on 15 January. This completes the membership of the Commission.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Clean Technology

Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what use he has made of the report entitled "Cleaning Up? Stimulating Innovation in Environmental Technology", produced by POST in respect of his Department's support for the Joint Environmental Market Unit's work on promoting British clean technology commerce; and if he will circulate the report to British Embassies. [122816]

Mr. Hain: As the report has only just been published, my officials will consider with other Departments its implications for the promotion of UK exports of environmental technology. More generally, I am keen to make full use of our Missions overseas in promoting such exports.

Single Currency

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the single currency games shown in InfEuro Number 14, the Commission newsletter, were created with the assistance of the European Community; and if he will make a statement. [123619]

Mr. Vaz: The single currency games referred to by the hon. Member were the result of the work of the children and teachers of the "Nos Enfants" school in Brussels, as well as the "Informer et Enseigner L'Europe et la Democratie", the "Orrizonti" company and the Economic and Social Committee. The project received funding from the Commission, Generale de Banque, Instituto Bancario San Paolo die Iorino and Mouvement E Leclerc, as well as the support of the European Parliament, Credit Mutuel, and the Fondation du Credit Mutuel pour la Lecture.

Sierra Leone

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what representations he made during discussions on the agreement of the Lome Peace Accord on Sierra Leone, with respect to the (a) freeing of, (b) participation in politics of and (c) rescinding the death penalty passed on Foday Sankoh; [123608]

(2) if he will make a statement on his role in the establishment of the Lome Peace Accord on Sierra Leone. [123606]

Mr. Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the right hon. Member for Horsham (Mr. Maude) on 23 May 2000, Official Report, column 413W.

Qualified Majority Voting

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which three member states, referred to in the document, "Treaty of Amsterdam: What has Changed in Europe", have indicated a preference for extension of QMV before enlargement. [123616]

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Mr. Vaz: "Treaty of Amsterdam: What Has Changed In Europe" was published by the Education and Culture Unit of the Commission. Therefore, I refer the hon. Member to the office of the Commission in London.

EU Working Groups

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs further to his answer of 15 May 2000, Official Report, column 30W, on EU working groups, if he will make it his policy to ensure the maximum transparency for (a) draft documents without negotiating position commentary and (b) issues under discussion at European Union working group level. [123631]

Mr. Vaz: We will ensure that all documents being prepared in European Union working groups for decision by the Council will be submitted to Parliament in accordance with the established procedures for Parliamentary scrutiny.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many European Community documents were examined by EU working groups in the last 12 months; and, of these, how many were advanced as draft legislation. [123610]

Mr. Vaz: There is no comprehensive record of European Community documents examined in 1999. However, there were 43 pieces of legislation enacted by the Council and European Parliament in 1999. In addition, 284 legislative instruments were adopted by the Council, and 1,413 by the Commission. Draft versions of all of these will have been discussed either by Council working groups or Comitology committees.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his policy on democratic accountability within European Community working groups. [123609]

Mr. Vaz: Working groups are attended by national civil servants, who work within policies established by Government Ministers, who are themselves directly and democratically accountable.

European Community (Lobbying Organisations)

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is his policy to endorse the funding from European Community funds of organisations which exist to lobby the European Community; and if he will make a statement with particular reference to budget line A-3021. [123607]

Mr. Vaz: The funding supported by this budget line is financed from the Commission's administrative budget. This funding is long established and is supported by the European Parliament and individual member states where the organisations are located. The UK, however, seeks to keep such expenditure as low as possible.

European Institute of Public Administration

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 15 May 2000, Official Report, column 48W, if he will define Management of European Integration, with reference to the inclusion or otherwise of political education on the future shape of the EU. [123630]

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Mr. Vaz: As stated in my previous reply, the EIPA supports the practical management of European integration through the provision of training, applied research and consultancy at a European level. The EIPA provides training, research and consultancy services for national and local governments to assist them in the implementation of EU legislation and guidance. Courses are either issue-specific (covering such issues as implementing better procurement practices or internal market legislation) or generic (for example, examining the European legislative process). Courses are practical and do not include political education.

EU Enlargement

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those opinion formers who received free copies of Cm 4595; if they were sent copies without requesting them; what (a) deputations and (b) correspondence he received from opinion formers following receipt of Cm 4595; and if he will make a statement. [123612]

Mr. Vaz: Copies of Cm 4595 have been sent to numerous opinion formers in the UK. Posts overseas have also distributed copies as appropriate.

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