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Press Rebuttal Unit

Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) of 6 March 2000, Official Report, column 499W, if he will estimate the cost to date of providing (a) rebuttals of press articles on Europe and (b) his Department's

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Euro-myths web page; who selects the items which require a rebuttal; and from where he obtains the information to be used in the rebuttals. [136102]

Mr. Vaz: I correct press articles which contain factual inaccuracies about Government policy towards Europe or our membership of the EU drawing on information held by the FCO and other Government Departments. These correctives are sent to the publication concerned and are now also published on the FCO website. There are no dedicated FCO staff assigned to this task. The only dedicated costs are of faxing or e-mailing the corrective letters, ie the cost of a local telephone call.

Euro

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer about the constitutional issues relating to the euro; and on what dates. [136387]

Mr. Vaz: The Secretary of State meets his Cabinet colleagues on a regular basis and discusses a wide range of issues.

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what account the Government will take of the results of the Danish referendum in the timing of a possible UK referendum on replacing the pound with the euro. [136256]

Mr. Vaz: As the Prime Minister has said, this decision is a matter for the Danish people and does not change the UK Government's position. We are in favour, in principle, of joining a successful single currency, but in practice the five economic tests must be met. Should Government and Parliament recommend joining, the final decision should be for the British people in a referendum.

European Superpower

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date it became the Government's policy to support the creation of a European superpower. [136514]

Mr. Vaz: This Government have long supported a Europe which can be a superpower in its economic and political strength. The Government are firmly opposed to the establishment of a federal superstate, as the Prime Minister made clear in Warsaw in October.

UN Human Rights Inquiry Commission

Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to request that the Human Rights Inquiry Commission established by the UN Human Rights Commission (a) includes forensic and ballistic experts and (b) is given the means to conduct their investigations. [136454]

Mr. Hain: The Human Rights Inquiry Commission has yet to be endorsed by a special session of the Economic and Social Council to be convened in New York.

(a) It is for the UNCHR Inquiry Commission to decide who the members should be and what skills will be required.

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(b) It is our understanding that a voluntary contribution has already been offered by a third party to ensure the investigations could be conducted successfully.

Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures Her Majesty's Government will take to support the investigation of the Human Rights Inquiry Commission established by the UN Human Rights Commission to collect information about violations of human rights and international law committed by the Israeli occupying power in the occupied Palestinian territories since 28 September. [136452]

Mr. Hain: The Human Rights Inquiry Commission has yet to be endorsed by a special session of the Economic and Social Council to be convened in New York.

However, we strongly encourage both Israelis and Palestinians to take action on any human rights abuses that might have been committed during the recent troubles. We would expect both sides to co-operate fully with an internationally approved human rights inquiry.

British Council

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the future role of the British Council in Zambia. [136642]

Mr. Hain: The British Council has recently completed a strategic review of its operations around the world. It will continue to operate in Zambia with a focus on governance and education. The Council will retain its public information centre which, through modern internet facilities, will offer ready access to the widest possible range of information. Additional support services will be provided from a regional hub in Zimbabwe. Having recently visited Lusaka, I can vouch for the excellent work the Council is doing in Zambia.

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the future role of the British Council in Malawi. [136641]

Mr. Hain: The British Council has recently completed a strategic review of its operations around the world. It will continue to operate in Malawi with a focus on governance and education. The Council will retain its public information centre which, through modern internet facilities, will offer ready access to the widest possible range of information. Additional support services will be provided from a regional hub in Zimbabwe. Having recently visited Lilongwe, I can vouch for the excellent work the Council is doing in Malawi.

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria are applied when appointing the Chairman of the British Council, with particular reference to the political views of candidates. [136238]

Mr. Hain: No criteria are applied relating to the political views of candidates when appointing the Chairman of the British Council. The criteria used include: an impressive record of achievement in the candidate's chosen field; a high level of strategic and representational skills with the vision and flair to inspire and enthuse; an international perspective and sympathy

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with the Council's aims; and a personal presence commensurate with the international profile of the appointment.

Whaling

Mr. Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans the Government have for placing sanctions on Japanese vessels in connection with scientific whaling. [136803]

Mr. Hain: We have expressed our total opposition to the Japanese Government on numerous occasions. The UK would need to discuss any proposal for trade sanctions against Japanese vessels in connection with Japan's research whaling programme with our EU partners, since external trade matters fall within the competence of the EU. In addition, there are currently no Japanese fishing vessels operating within UK domestic waters.

Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place with the Government of Japan concerning their decision to expand the scientific whaling programme to the Southern Ocean Sanctuary; and if he will make a statement. [136938]

Mr. Hain: In our numerous discussions, the Japanese Government have been left in no doubt as to our total opposition to their expanded whaling programme in the North Pacific and their continued research whaling in the Southern Ocean Sanctuary. Both the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State have raised this issue with their Japanese counterparts. As Minister responsible for whaling issues, my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food spoke very powerfully against the Japanese decision at the last IWC meeting in Adelaide in June.

International Criminal Court Treaty

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government have taken with other European Union member states to resist efforts by the United States to create an exception for US nationals in the International Criminal Court Treaty. [137324]

Mr. Hain: We have made clear to the US, both bilaterally and with our EU partners, our concerns about their proposal. We continue to hope the United States will come on board in support of the International Criminal Court. A court with the United States as a member would be very much stronger. However, any solution to their concerns must, if it is to receive support, respect the integrity of the Rome Statute and maintain the effectiveness of the court.

Pakistan

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the military Government of Pakistan on its programme for returning to democracy. [137386]

Mr. Hain: We continue to press Pakistan's military regime for the early and credible timetable for the restoration of democracy. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and his colleagues of the

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Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group strongly underlined this to Pakistan's Foreign Minister during their meeting in New York on 15 September.

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