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Written Answers to Questions
Monday 3 July 2000
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Distress for Rent
Mr. Hilary Benn: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to review the practice of distress for rent. [128323]
Mr. Lock: The practice of distress for rent is currently being reviewed. I am aware that there are some concerns over this practice and, in particular, its compatibility with the European Convention on Human Rights. We are investigating these concerns urgently and any problems identified will be addressed promptly.
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INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Staff Secondments
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Harrogate and Knaresborough (Mr. Willis) of 8 February 2000, Official Report, column 89W, on secondments, if she will give the names, grades and job titles of the staff seconded into her Department from each organisation mentioned, stating in each case the name of the section they were seconded to and a summary of the work that they were involved with. [128252]
Clare Short: The figures given in the reply of 8 February referred to four individuals, all of whom were seconded for periods of more than 12 months and thus figured in the statistics for more than one of the years dealt with in the reply. The information required is as follows:
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| Name | Grade | Job title | Section | Work |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mr. J. C. Barrett | Grade 6 | Natural Resources Research Programme Manager | Systems Management Office | Management of the Natural Resources Systems Programme |
| Dr. R. G. Poulter | Grade 6 | Senior Natural Resources Adviser (Research) | Natural Resources Research Department | Advice on Research Policy issues, Liaison with the UK science base |
| Ms F. J. Proctor | Grade 6 | Senior Natural Resources Adviser | West and North Africa Department | Natural resources advice on bilateral and regional programmes to Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and Chad |
| Ms S. Moorehead | Band A2 (Grade 7 equivalent) | Research Manager | Economic Policy and Research Department | Management of research commissioned by the DFID Advisory Committee on Economic and Social Research (ESCOR) |
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Moluccas
Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funds Her Majesty's Government have allocated to provide humanitarian aid to those suffering in the conflict in the Moluccas. [128813]
Clare Short: My Department is not currently funding relief operations in the Moluccas, but is willing to do so if safe access is obtained to make the necessary needs assessments. The rise in violence is preventing effective and impartial humanitarian access and has forced most relief agencies to evacuate and suspend their operations. We will continue to monitor the situation through our contacts in the few remaining operational agencies and will reassess our inputs once the security situation stabilises and humanitarian access is once again guaranteed.
A DFID team has just returned from Indonesia where they were advising the United Nations on possible options for engagement in conflict reduction activities. We have also seconded a humanitarian specialist to the United Nations in Jakarta. He is assisting with the co-operation of relief efforts throughout Indonesia, whether resulting from natural disasters or conflicts as in the Moluccas.
UN Social Summit
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her Department's representation at the UN Social Summit in Geneva. [128714]
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Clare Short: My Department's delegation to the United Nations General Assembly Special Session in Geneva last week, which followed up the Copenhagen Social Summit five years ago, was led by my Chief Social Development Adviser, supported by other senior DFID social development professionals and officials.
China Western Poverty Reduction Project
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the status of the China Western Poverty Reduction Project. [128477]
Clare Short: Britain supported this project in the Bank Board meeting in June 1999 because it would bring significant benefits to 1.7 million of the poorest people in China. We also supported the Board conclusion that no funds would be disbursed on the Qinghai component of the project until an independent Inspection Panel had conducted an investigation, and pending further environmental and social assessments.
The report by the Independent Inspection Panel, and Bank Management's response to it, will be discussed at a World Bank Board meeting on 6 July 2000. We are looking very carefully at the conclusions of the Inspection Panel Report, and Management's response to it, in preparation for the Bank Board meeting.
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Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent representations she has received concerning the status of the China Western Poverty Reduction Project. [128478]
Clare Short: I have received representations on the issue of the China Western Poverty Reduction Project from members of the public, from hon. Members and from organisations which concern themselves with the welfare of Tibetans.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Sudan
Dr. Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the recent SPLA violations of the ceasefire in Bahr al-Ghazal, Sudan. [129074]
Mr. Hain: We have been following with grave concern reports of violations by the SPLA of the humanitarian ceasefire in Bahr al-Ghazal and in particular the attack on the town of Gogrial. We call on the SPLA and the Sudanese Government to exercise restraint, to respect humanitarian principles and the agreed ceasefire in that region and to work to negotiate a comprehensive, permanent, effectively monitored ceasefire throughout Sudan. We reaffirm our support for the peace efforts being made under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and firmly believe that only a negotiated settlement can bring all the people of Sudan the peace and stability they deserve.
Indian Sub-continent (Nuclear Weapons)
Dr. Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what circumstances a licence is required to export strategic goods or technology to India or Pakistan; and what the Government's policy is regarding exports to nuclear or nuclear-related end-users in India and Pakistan. [129016]
Mr. Hain: A licence is required to export to India or Pakistan any goods or technology that are listed as subject to control in the legislation under which strategic export controls are implemented or any goods or technology subject to the Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) end-use controls set out in Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) 3381/94 and Regulations 4(1) and 4(2) (b) and (c) of the Dual-Use and Related Goods (Export Control) Regulations 1996.
Where a licence is required then, as my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd), the then Minister of State, said in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for South Thanet (Dr. Ladyman) on 10 July 1998, Official Report, columns 687-88W, we will not allow the export of items listed in the Nuclear Suppliers Group Dual-Use List to nuclear or nuclear-related end-users in India or Pakistan, nor any other goods to these end-users which could contribute to the Indian and Pakistani nuclear programmes. The exception is equipment which would not normally require an export licence but is deemed licensable under the WMD end-use controls and where the initial concerns about WMD end-use are not subsequently substantiated.
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New Deal
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many employees of his Department and its agencies have been recruited from the New Deal; and what percentage this represents of total staff. [129091]
Mr. Hain: Four New Dealers have been recruited. This represents 1 per cent. of Band A1 staff (which is the grade at which we recruit New Dealers), and .07 per cent. of total staff.
Sierra Leone
Mr. Quentin Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what initiatives the Government have (a) taken and (b) propose to take on modifying the UN Security Council resolutions governing the presence of United Nations forces in Sierra Leone. [127997]
Mr. Hain: We have actively supported the UN Secretary-General's initiatives to adapt UNAMSIL to meet changing circumstances; most recently leading the Security Council in adoption of resolution 1299 of 11 May 2000 to expand UNAMSIL from 11,100 to 13,000. We have been leading discussions on a further resolution on UNAMSIL in the Security Council, in the light of the Secretary-General's most recent report of 19 May 2000.
Mr. Quentin Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what factors he took into account in assessing the need for UK action in response to Security Council resolution 1289 concerning the increase in manpower of the UNAMSIL force in Sierra Leone. [127998]
Mr. Hain: We strongly support the UN's effort to help bring peace and stability to Sierra Leone. Since the adoption of Security Council resolution 1289 on 7 February 2000, we have provided an MOD team to help on the ground with UNAMSIL force deployment as well as our 15 UN military observers. We are also continuing to provide technical advice and support to UNAMSIL both in Freetown and New York.
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what representations he has made to those countries which agreed to make a contribution to Sierra Leone through the Lome Peace Accord but have (a) not or (b) only partly met the commitment they entered into; [128573]
- (2) if he will list the countries which agreed to make a contribution to Sierra Leone through the Lome Peace Accord, but which did not make the contribution agreed or any contribution; and if he will make a statement; [128572]
(3) if he will list those countries which have made contributions to Sierra Leone through the Lome Peace Accord, indicating the amount of each contribution; and if he will make a statement; [128522]
(4) if he will list those countries which agreed to make contributions to Sierra Leone through the Lome Peace Accord, indicating the amount of money each country agreed to give; and if he will make a statement. [128521]
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Mr. Hain: Following signature of the Lome Peace Agreement, a number of countries and donor institutions pledged and provided political and financial support to help re-build Sierra Leone after eight years of brutal conflict.
Around US$65 million was pledged at the international donor's conference, chaired by the Secretary of State for International Development in London on 27 March.
Practical support from the international donor community will continue to be needed if lasting peace and stability is to be achieved in Sierra Leone.
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) British and (b) other western nationals have been evacuated from Sierra Leone since 8 May . [127688]
Mr. Hain: 125 British nationals and 49 other western nationals were evacuated by British forces from Sierra Leone since 8 May (the figure for other western nationals includes EU, US and Canadian nationals).
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