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European Common Foreign and Security Policy
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in setting up a standing Political and Security Committee dealing with aspects of the Common Foreign and Security Policy. [137077]
Mr. Vaz: The Council of the European Union adopted a decision establishing an interim Political and Security Committee (PSC) on 14 February 2000. It met for the first time on 3 March 2000. The interim PSC meets on average twice weekly and can address the full range of Common Foreign and Security Policy issues. As a standing body it
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can meet at short notice if required. The Government expect the interim PSC to be formally established as a permanent body in the course of the Swedish Presidency of the European Union, January-June 2001.
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on incorporating the post of EU high representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy into the European Commission. [137076]
Mr. Vaz: The Government believe that the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) should continue to be based on inter-governmental cooperation. The role of High Representative provides a valuable focus for the increasingly important role played CFSP. The Government would not support proposals to incorporate this role into the Commission.
International Criminal Court
Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has for proposing legislation to establish an international criminal court. [137107]
Mr. Hain: The Government will introduce legislation to enable ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) as soon as the parliamentary timetable allows. The ICC Bill was published in draft on 25 August and a consultation process on the draft Bill has been completed.
Mr. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his participation in the talks designed to create an International Criminal Court. [136984]
Mr. Hain: The UK has fully participated throughout the negotiations on the establishment of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The sixth session of the Preparatory Commission for the ICC begins in New York on 27 November and British officials will again be actively involved.
Western Sahara
Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on the right to self-determination of the Saharawi people of Western Sahara as set out in the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion of 16 October 1975; and if he will make a statement. [135927]
Mr. Hain: We recognise the right of the people of Western Sahara to self-determination over their own future and will continue to support international efforts to achieve a just and durable solution in the territory.
Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response the Government have made to the Moroccan Government's statement that it will no longer support the UN Settlement Plan for Western Sahara, including a referendum; and if he will make a statement. [135928]
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Mr. Hain: Our understanding is that Morocco remains committed to the UN Settlement Plan for Western Sahara, and to a referendum. The UN Secretary-General has said that the implementation of the plan has been held up for ten years because of differences between the two parties on its voter identification and appeals protocols.
The Secretary-General's Personal Envoy, James Baker, was drafted in earlier this year to explore all options for an agreed and durable solution, including a political solution which could then be put to a referendum. Morocco's recently stated willingness in principle to consider a political means of breaking the impasse is a positive development. We will continue to give our full support to Mr. Baker's efforts to resolve this dispute.
Arms Brokering
Mr. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what provisions are in place to ensure that arms exported from the UK are not brokered to a third country; and if he will make a statement. [137000]
Mr. Hain: The Government are continually seeking to strengthen further their monitoring of the end-use of defence exports to prevent diversion to third parties. The Government have already taken a number of steps to strengthen risk assessment at the licensing stage and to improve the sharing of information on end-users of concern with like-minded countries. For example, the UK regularly seeks additional details of proposed end-use and end-users, including through our overseas posts, in order better to assess particular export licence applications.
It would be neither practical nor useful to monitor the end-use of all strategic goods exported from the UK over their lifetime with the end-user, particularly when we have already taken steps to satisfy ourselves of the end-user's reliability and integrity before issuing a licence. Post-export monitoring cannot in itself prevent equipment from being diverted or misused, although it may help to inform future licensing decisions. Such monitoring is extremely resource-intensive and generally requires a degree of technical expertise on the part of those involved.
Nevertheless, the UK is prepared to undertake monitoring of equipment in the recipient country in certain circumstances where the Government believe that such monitoring would genuinely add value to its efforts to minimise the risk of diversion. Several examples of such post-export monitoring are contained in the Government's 1999 Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls, copies of which are in the Libraries of the House.
At present the Government have powers to control only trafficking and brokering of defence equipment under the United Nations Act 1946 where this is necessary to implement a binding United Nations decision. However, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry announced on 28 September that the Government have decided to introduce a system of licensing for arms trafficking and brokering. This will go significantly further than the proposals on trafficking and brokering in the 1998 White Paper on Strategic Export Controls. Full details of the Government's proposals on trafficking and brokering will
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be set out when the Government announce their proposals for new export control legislation following conclusion of the White Paper review.
Dog Breeds
Mr. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with German Ministers about their proposals to ban certain breeds of dog; and if he will make a statement. [136988]
Mr. Vaz: I have not discussed the matter with German Ministers, since such matters are an internal matter for the German authorities.
I understand the German Government have proposed that such measures be considered for adoption as EU legislation. The European Commission doubt there is a legal basis for EU-wide legislation and it seems unlikely that any such proposals will progress. Our policy is that such domestic legislation should remain a matter for member states. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, my hon. Friend the Member for North Warwickshire (Mr. O'Brien), has already stated that existing United Kingdom law is adequate for both present and future controls in this area.
European Public Prosecutor
Mr. Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his policy on proposals for a European Public Prosecutor. [135381]
Mrs. Roche: I have been asked to reply.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for West Suffolk, (Mr. Spring) on 1 November 2000, Official Report, column 529W.
European Movement
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what account the EU has taken in making decisions to provide funding to the European Movement of the European Movement's other sources of funding. [136255]
Miss Melanie Johnson: I have been asked to reply.
It is within the remit of the Commission to decide the criteria for disbursing such grants.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Judges' Lodgings
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the total cost was of judges' lodgings for each of the last three years; what was (a) the average cost and (b) the highest cost per night of occupancy of lodgings for each of the last three years; what plans he has to review the cost of judges' lodgings; what recent representations he has received from members of the judiciary concerning lodgings; and if he will make a statement. [134334]
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Jane Kennedy: The total cost of running the judges' lodgings in each of the last three years was:
| £ | |
|---|---|
| 1997-98 | 4,776,680 |
| 1998-99 | 5,232,957 |
| 1999-2000 | 4,785,683 |
For completeness, the average and highest cost per night of occupancy of lodgings by the judge and his or her clerk, inclusive of travel between the lodgings and the court, is set out as follows on three bases:
| Highest | Average (mean) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1997-98 | 2,550 | 967 |
| 1998-99 | 2,375 | 919 |
| 1999-2000 | 2,030 | 901 |
| Highest | Average (mean) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1997-98 | 2,550 | 918 |
| 1998-99 | 2,107 | 838 |
| 1999-2000 | 2,030 | 818 |
| Highest | Average (mean) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1997-98 | 815.27 | 380.70 |
| 1998-99 | 646.81 | 368.36 |
| 1999-2000 | 677.94 | 357.34 |
An internal review of judges' lodgings is taking place which will:
- review the current location of lodgings, bearing in mind their degree of use and the maximum acceptable travelling times to the court centres they serve;
- compare the value for money provided by lodgings (including past and future capital, running, incidental and opportunity costs) with alternative forms of accommodation providing appropriate standards of security, privacy and comfort; and
- make recommendations concerning the most cost-effective means of managing and staffing lodgings.
No recent representations have been received from members of the judiciary about lodgings.
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