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Climate Change Levy

Mrs. Lawrence: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will require suppliers to show the amount of climate change levy on invoices. [100567]

Mr. Timms: Suppliers will be required to show the amount of climate change levy on invoices if they wish to be eligible for bad debt relief. Details are contained in the draft clauses for the next Finance Bill which are being published today by Customs and Excise. Copies are being placed in the Library of the House.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

British Council

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which British Council offices have opened in each of the last three years. [99582]

Mr. Hain: The following British Council offices opened during the last three years:




26 Nov 1999 : Column: 256W


    1997-98


    Country offices: Cuba, Bolivia.


    Regional offices: Mandalay, Burma; Kaohsiung, Taiwan.


    Teaching centres: France, Bolivia, Senegal, Brazil.


    1998-99


    Regional offices: Nagoya, Japan.


    Teaching centres: South Africa, the Philippines, Taipei.


    1999-2000


    Regional offices: Auckland, New Zealand; Kosovo; Krakow, Poland.


    Teaching centres: Cyprus.

Algeria

Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in Algeria; and what action is being taken to assist in the resolution of the divisions in that country. [99636]

Mr. Hain: The security situation in Algeria has, in general, improved over the last few months, but serious concerns still exist. These concerns were highlighted by the murder of Abdelkader Hachani of the FIS in Algiers on 22 November. I shall visit Algiers next week. During the course of that visit, I shall discuss how the UK and EU might further help internal reconciliation in Algeria.

Pakistan

Mr. John M. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has met leaders of the Pakistani community in the United Kingdom to discuss the situation in Pakistan; and if he will make a statement. [99722]

Mr. Hain: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, met a delegation of Pakistani community leaders, led by the noble Lord, Lord Ahmed of Rotherham, on 2 November. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary also made a statement to the House on 2 November 1999, Official Report, columns 81-82, on the situation in Pakistan, in response to a question from the hon. Member for Ruislip-Northwood (Mr. Wilkinson).

South Africa

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the Government of South Africa concerning the effect of United Kingdom gold sales on the South African economy. [99608]

Mr. Hain: Over the summer, after the Treasury's 7 May announcement about the restructuring of the UK's reserves, the UK Government and the South African Government kept in regular touch about gold sales. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer spoke to South African Finance Minister Trevor Manuel and wrote to him on 27 May. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister spoke to President Mbeki after the 2 June elections and wrote to him on 11 June. Trevor Manuel met my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in London on 20 July. The Governor of the Bank of England and the Chairman of the South African Reserve Bank also stayed in regular touch. A number of European central banks announced on 26 September that they would limit their gold sales over the next five years.

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UN Co-ordinator, Baghdad

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the UN about the tenure of office of the UN Co-ordinator in Baghdad. [100084]

Mr. Hain: We have voiced concern to the UN about some aspects of Mr. Von Sponeck's performance, in particular his public calls for sanctions to be lifted immediately, contrary to the terms of the Security Council resolutions. But decisions on appointments such as Mr. Von Sponeck's are for the UN Secretary-General alone.

El Shifa

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government will apologise to the Government and people of the Sudan for its endorsement of the bombing of the El Shifa factory. [100083]

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Mr. Hain: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has made clear that he gave his support to the US action as action against international terrorists. The US told us at the time of the strike, now 15 months ago, that they had compelling evidence that the plant was being used for the production of chemical weapons materials.

When my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met the Sudanese Foreign Minister in September this year in New York, we agreed to restore full diplomatic relations.

Iraq (Sanctions)

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his contacts with the Bishop of Coventry over the Bishop's visit to Baghdad. [100085]

Mr. Hain: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 2 November 1999, Official Report, column 128.