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Reinforced Co-operation

Mr. Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the policy of Her Majesty's Government on the issue of reinforced co-operation in its application to defence. [138591]

Mr. Vaz: The proposals for European defence contained in the reports to the Helsinki and Feira European Councils on strengthening the common European security and defence policy envisage that the Council should be able to decide to launch an operation by consensus, but that no member state should be obliged to participate in that operation. It is therefore possible that a decision to launch an operation would be implemented by less than all member states. This would represent a sui generis form of enhanced co-operation.

The Government are satisfied that such proposals can be implemented without the need for amendment to the Treaty on European Union.

Non-proliferation Review Conference

Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to implement commitments made at the Non- proliferation Review Conference; and if he will make a statement. [138880]

Mr. Hain: HMG are committed to translating the agreements reached at the NPT Review Conference in New York into concrete international progress. We

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continue to discuss these matters with the nuclear weapons states and others. The priority must be to get negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty under way in the Conference on Disarmament; for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty to enter into force; and for the US and the Russian Federation to negotiate further deep cuts in their nuclear arsenals.

Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty

Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have been held with the Governments of India and Pakistan concerning their signature of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. [139988]

Mr. Hain: We continue to urge India and Pakistan to sign and ratify the CTBT in both bilateral contacts with the two countries and in multilateral fora such as UNGA.

Officials from our High Commission on Islamabad recently discussed Pakistani signature with their Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Foreign Secretary raised the question of Indian signature of the Treaty with his Indian counterpart, Jaswant Singh, on 15 November. I also discussed the issue during my recent visit to India, primarily on 20 November with Brajesh Mishra (National Security Adviser and Private Secretary to the Prime Minister).

Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has held with the Government of Israel concerning its becoming a signatory to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. [139978]

Mr. Hain: Israel signed the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) on 25 September 1996. We continue to raise the issue of Israel's ratification of its signature in both bilateral contacts with Israel, most recently on 6 September in discussions between officials, and in multilateral fora.

Diego Garcia

Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what income has been received for each year since 1970 from the United States for their use of Diego Garcia as a military base. [139981]

Mr. Battle: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Lewes (Mr. Baker) on 28 July 2000, Official Report, columns 1076-77W.

Plan Colombia

Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received on United Kingdom participation in Plan Colombia; and if he will make a statement. [139974]

Mr. Battle: We have received many representations from members of the public, Members of Parliament and others about Plan Colombia. The UK is playing a leading role through regular contact with the Colombian Government, our EU partners, the US and others, including NGO representatives, in support of the Colombian peace process.

On 19 June we hosted an international meeting in London to help prepare the ground for a successful conference on Colombia in Madrid on 7 July. NGO

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representatives participated in both meetings. NGO and civil society organisations also made a valuable contribution to subsequent meetings in Costa Rica, on 17 October, and in Bogota on 24 October. The European Commission has announced support for the peace process worth 105 million euro over the period 2000-06, with the emphasis on support for human rights and the development of alternative crop strategies.

Departmental Briefings

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what briefing his Department has provided since 1997 to newspaper editors on matters relating to (a) police corruption, (b) terrorist activities, (c) arms trafficking and (d) Sierra Leone; and if he will make a statement. [138790]

Mr. Robin Cook: Press officers for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office give oral briefings to journalists every day in response to inquiries on all matters relating to foreign affairs. In addition, they provide collective oral briefings for journalists on a regular basis on issues of topical interest.

No central record is kept of briefings for journalists.

Eritrea

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received concerning camps in Eritrea in which Ethiopian nationals are held. [140376]

Mr. Hain: According to information we have received, ICRC have regular access to around 1,500 to 1,700 Ethiopian POWs in Eritrea. In addition, they have visited around 4,000 Ethiopian civilian internees being held in two camps in Eritrea, and are trying to identify how many more Ethiopians are being detained.

Sierra Leone

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on which occasions (a) Mr. Peter Penfold and (b) other Foreign Office officials met Mr. Mikhail Karacostas during Mr. Penfold's period as UK High Commissioner: Sierra Leone; and if he will make a statement. [138755]

Mr. Hain: We are not aware of any meetings between either Mr. Penfold or other FCO officials and Mr. Karacostas during this period.

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Sir Thomas Legg was informed of the investigations into Mr. Mikhail Karacostas' involvement in West Africa when he conducted his inquiry into the Sandline affair; and if he will make a statement. [138753]

Mr. Hain: Mr. Karacostas was the subject of a police investigation, involving a number of individuals and countries. He was arrested in March 1998 as a consequence of this investigation. The case came to court in the UK in May 1999. These matters did not form part of Sir Thomas Legg's investigation, which reported on 24 July 1998.

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Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to what duties Mr. Peter Penfold was assigned after leaving his post as UK High Commissioner, Sierra Leone; when he was assigned the new duties; and if he will make a statement. [138789]

Mr. Hain: Peter Penfold completed his posting as High Commissioner in Freetown earlier this year and will shortly begin a secondment to the Department for International Development.

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what dates discussions on West Africa were held with the Greek Government following the overthrow of President Kabbah of Sierra Leone, indicating the discussions which related to equipping ECOMOG; and if he will make a statement. [138757]

Mr. Hain: Many discussions on the general issue of Sierra Leone took place in EU and UN fora. These involved the Greek Government, among others. The question of practical support for ECOMOG's efforts in Sierra Leone was one of the issues which arose.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

Correspondence

Sir Brian Mawhinney: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire will receive a reply to his letter of 16 August on behalf of his constituent Mrs. Sturman. [135785]

Ms Stuart: I have been asked to reply.

A reply to the right hon. Member's letter was sent on 30 October.

Abattoirs

Mr. Alasdair Morgan: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to publish his response to the committee set up to examine the costs of meat inspections in abattoirs. [135046]

Ms Quin: The Government have given careful consideration to the recommendations of the Maclean Report and have noted the widespread support given to them by industry interests. The Government's broad intentions in respect of the recommendations will be announced shortly in the Rural White Paper.

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