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Private Finance Initiative

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what monitoring his Department undertakes of Private Finance Initiative contracts undertaken by local government; and if he will make a statement. [129205]

Ms Beverley Hughes: Following endorsement by the inter-departmental Project Review Group, progress on prospective schemes is monitored to ensure that the final contract conforms with the approved business case. Following contract signature, the Department will be notified of when service payments commence. Payments and grant paid to the local authority are then monitored and subsequently audited by the Audit Commission. It is important that lessons are learnt from existing contracts. All authorities are required to share non-commercial documentation with other local authorities procuring similar projects, and lessons are used in the production of standardised contract documentation and other best- practice guidance.

Combined Heat and Power

Mr. Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement about the Government's response to the consultation on proposals for a Quality Assurance programme for combined heat and power. [129295]

Mr. Meacher: I announced the key decisions on the proposals following consultation in my statement to the House on 17 May. I have today placed the Government's full response to the consultation in the Library of the

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House. It will also be available on the DETR and CHPQA websites, and printed copies of the response are being sent to all those who commented on the CHPQA proposals.

I am grateful to those who responded to the consultation, and for the valuable contribution from CHP users and suppliers and other interested parties. CHPQA has been designed to assure and improve the quality of CHP and stimulate CHP growth.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Arms Dealing

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on actions taken following the finding of a cache of arms in Antwerp in February 1999, in respect of the UK companies involved; what prosecutions have occurred; and what measures have been enforced to prevent repetition of similar arms dealing. [128111]

Mr. Hain: As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister set out in answer to a similar question from the hon. Gentleman on 14 July 1999, Official Report, columns 239-40W, we have no information on the seizure of an arms consignment in February 1999 in Antwerp. But we are aware that a shipment of goods originating in Germany, destined for Eritrea, was seized by Belgian Customs authorities in Antwerp in August 1998. The matter remains with the Belgian courts. No charges have been brought as yet.

A resumption of fighting between Ethiopia and Eritrea on 12 May led to the adoption of UN Resolution 1298 on 18 May, co-sponsored by the UK, imposing on both countries a mandatory arms embargo and a ban on the provision of related technical assistance or training.

Step Change Project

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 8 June 2000, Official Report, column 308W, on the Step Change Project, if he will list the membership of the Ministerial Group for European Co-ordination and make a statement on MINECOR's activities. [128779]

Mr. Vaz [holding answer 3 July 2000]: The Ministerial Group for European Co-ordination works to achieve greater co-ordination of the presentation of Her Majesty's Government's European policies in the UK and overseas, and monitors the Government's efforts to develop closer co-operation with the EU partners/applicants.

A list of current members of MINECOR has been deposited in the Library. The devolved administrations are also represented at MINECOR.


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North Moluccas

Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received concerning attacks by Jihad warriors on the village of Duma, North Moluccas and on the number of casualties which resulted. [128856]

Mr. Battle: We understand that between 100 and 158 people were killed and over 200 injured in the raid on the village of Duma on 19 June. The media reported that large numbers of armed extremists attacked the village, shooting at random and burning over 300 homes. The Regional Military Commander subsequently ordered the security forces to secure the area. On 26 June, President Wahid declared a state of civil emergency in Maluku; since then the situation appears to be calmer.

Qualified Majority Voting

Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 5 June 2000, Official Report, column 43W, on QMV, if he will place the UK Government's written contribution to the meeting on 2 May in the Library. [128169]

Mr. Vaz [holding answer 3 July 2000]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 12 June 2000, Official Report, column 441W.

EU Co-operation

Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make a statement on the Government's policy in respect of reinforced co-operation on EU matters; [128120]

Mr. Vaz [holding answer 3 July 2000]: The Government's position is clearly set out in the White Paper "IGC: Reform for Enlargement".

Intergovernmental Conference

Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what position the United Kingdom has taken in the IGC discussions on the issue of

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creating new specific legal bases for the areas covered by Article 308, as set out in the document CONFER 4780/00. [128130]

Mr. Vaz [holding answer 3 July 2000]: As the Government have made clear, this IGC is about reform for enlargement of the EU. In this context, we are sceptical about the need to look at specific legal bases for areas covered under Article 308.

Kosovo

Miss Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the supply of demining equipment to non- Governmental organisations in Kosovo. [129387]

Mr. Vaz: We have approved the export to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) of protective body armour to Danish Church Aid and European Landmine Solutions, organisations engaged in humanitarian demining activities on behalf of the United Nations Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK).

These goods are on the Military List. UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1160 (1998) prohibits the supply of arms and related material to the FRY. However UNSCR 1244 (1999), provides for the sale or supply or arms or related material for use by the international civil and security presence in Kosovo. We have notified the UN FRY Sanctions Committee of this export and they have raised no objection. The export of this equipment underlines UK support both for the peaceful reconstruction of Kosovo and the work of the UN Mines Action Programme.

WALES

Dairy Industry

Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary concerning difficulties in the dairy industry; and if he will make a statement. [126971]

Mr. Paul Murphy: I meet the First Secretary on a weekly basis and we discuss a wide range of issues including the dairy industry. Recently we have welcomed the removal of dairy hygiene charges in England and Wales, and at the Prime Minister's Agriculture Summit at the end of March some £2.3 million extra agri-monetary compensation was awarded to Welsh dairy farmers.

Interactive Voice Response Systems

Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many departmental telephone lines used by the general public are responded to by interactive voice response systems. [127403]

Mr. Paul Murphy: My Department does not use interactive voice response systems on any of its telephone lines.

Nuclear Submarines (Berths)

Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent consultations he has had with the Ministry of Defence over the use of Welsh ports as emergency Z-berths for nuclear submarines. [127577]

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Mr. Paul Murphy: The Ministry of Defence does not have, nor does it plan to have, any emergency Z-berths in Welsh ports.

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