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Judicial Appointments (Peach Report)
Angela Smith: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when the Lord Chancellor will publish Sir Leonard Peach's report on the operation of the appointments procedures in relation to all judicial appointments and Queen's Counsel. [101594]
Jane Kennedy: Sir Leonard Peach's report is being published tomorrow. Copies will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Archives
Ms Keeble: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he proposes to publish a policy statement on archives. [101475]
Mr. Lock: The first ever Government policy on archives is published today. Copies of the report have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The report is also available on the internet.
Archive services have both governmental and cultural functions. Effective records management is essential to good governance, and at the same time, our documentary heritage is a crucially important cultural asset. The revolution in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) gives the archives sector the opportunity to make major advances in both areas and to provide genuinely inclusive services to ethnic minorities, women and young people who are under-represented among archive users.
The policy document has been produced by all the Government Departments with a responsibility for archives. It is an example of how joined-up government works to good practical effect. It will provide a framework for future Government thinking and action on archival matters.
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Dr. Lynne Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) how much his Department has spent on civil servants' transport in each of the last two years; [98692]
(2) how much his Department has spent on Ministerial transport in each of the last two years. [98691]
Mr. Battle:
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office, 1 December 1999, Official Report, column 256W.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who has responsibility for payment of energy bills at GCHQ in Cheltenham following the signing of the relevant PFI contract; what criteria the contract includes covering energy efficiency requirements; and if he will make a statement. [100804]
Mr. Robin Cook
[holding answer 1 December 1999]: GCHQ will be responsible for the energy costs. The contract requires that the Private Sector Provider (PSP) minimises energy usage, use of natural resources and associated operational costs over the life of the building.
GCHQ has an objective to be energy efficient and environmentally friendly in line with Government policy. The PSP's contribution to this objective will be addressed in the design of the building.
Mr. Menzies Campbell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to ensure that the licensing authorities of (a) the Channel Islands and (b) other UK Dependent Territories are subject to the EU Code of Conduct for Arms Sales; and if he will make a statement. [99939]
Mr. Hain:
I will write to the right hon. and learned Member shortly.
Mr. Menzies Campbell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to include a summary of licences issued by the Channel Islands and Dependent Territories in future annual reports by the UK Government on Strategic Export Controls; and if he will make a statement. [100113]
Mr. Hain:
None at present. But we will review the format and content of future reports, taking into account responses to the first two Annual Reports and, in particular, the eventual conclusions of the Joint Inquiry being carried out by the House of Commons Foreign Affairs, Defence, Trade and Industry, and International Development Committees.
Mrs. Mahon:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) Serbs, (b) Roma, (c) Bosniaks, (d) Montenegrins, (e) Turks and (f) other minorities have been abducted in Kosovo since
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the KFOR occupation; how many have (i) been rescued, (ii) left Kosovo since the KFOR occupation and (iii) been murdered since the KFOR occupation; and how many people have been charged with offences against (a) to (f) since the KFOR occupation. [101119]
Mr. Vaz:
Since KFOR's deployment in Kosovo on 12 June 1999 and mid-November, there have been 137 abductions reported, including 43 Serbs and 77 Albanians. No figures are available for other minorities abducted nor for the number rescued.
UNMIK estimate that 97,000 Serbs remain in Kosovo from a pre-war population of around 200,000. It is estimated that between 6,000 and 7,000 Roma or "Gypsies" remain in Kosovo. Pre-war population figures for Roma are not exact. The 1991 census figure for Roma in Kosovo was 45,000.
In the same period from 12 June to mid-November, 379 murders have been reported in Kosovo. Of these 139 were Serbs, 145 Albanians and 99 of unknown ethnic origin. There are no details for the number of people charged with these offences.
Mr. Chope:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the instances in which sums required for fulfilling guarantees made by the Government were charged on and issued out of the Consolidated Fund in each of the last five years. [100745]
Mr. Andrew Smith:
Such sums are normally paid out of voted moneys. While Departments are advised that they should consider whether an immediate statement should be made to Parliament in respect of a maturing contingent liability of this kind, information is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. There have been no payments under guarantees charged by statute directly on the Consolidated Fund in the last five years.
Mr. Chope:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is the policy of the Government that sums required for fulfilling guarantees given by the Export Credits Guarantee Department are charged on and issued out of the Consolidated Fund. [100744]
Mr. Timms:
It is established Supply procedure for departmental payments such as claims in respect of guarantees issued by ECGD to be made out of moneys voted by Parliament. An excess requirement would necessitate drawing on the Consolidated Fund.
Mr. Chope:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for a body to be set up under Clause 15 of the Government Resources and Accounts Bill to undertake projects outside the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [100743]
Miss Melanie Johnson:
The Government Resources and Accounts Bill includes provisions to enable the Treasury to incur expenditure in respect of the formation of Partnerships UK and to provide financial assistance to
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it. The exact size and nature of any commitments will be determined during the development process, which is currently under way. The legislation means that Partnerships UK will not be precluded from carrying on public private business outside the UK.
Mr. Jim Marshall:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the outcome of the Budget Council held in Brussels on 25-26 November; and if he will make a statement. [100571]
Miss Melanie Johnson:
The Budget Council gave its second reading to the Draft EC Budget for 2000 on 25 and 26 November. This was consistent with UK objectives. The Council was firmly against any reopening of the financial perspective agreed at Berlin. The Council fully respects the EU's obligations with respect to needs in Kosovo, and is clear that the EU's share of reconstruction activity in Kosovo can be met without revising the financial perspective ceiling.
Mr. Tony Clarke:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the 10 fastest growing towns and cities in England which had the fastest population growth. [100789]
Miss Melanie Johnson:
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to reply.
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