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Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how nuclear test is defined in the context of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty; what the source is of the definition; and if he will make a statement. [101387]

Mr. Hain: The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty does not set out a definition of a nuclear test. The obligations of parties to the Treaty are contained in Article I. These obligations are not to carry out any nuclear weapons test explosion or any other nuclear explosion, and to prohibit and prevent any such nuclear explosion at any place under its jurisdiction or control. State parties also undertake to refrain from causing, encouraging, or in any way participating in the carrying out of any nuclear weapon test explosion or any other nuclear explosion.

These obligations where drawn up in the course of the treaty negotiations.

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the future of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty following the failure of the United States Senate to ratify the Treaty. [101389]

Mr. Hain: We have made clear our deep disappointment with the US Senate's vote against ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. We will continue to work with the US Administration, and with other key countries, to bring the Treaty into force as soon as possible.

Russia

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) UK bilateral and (b) NATO financial assistance is being (i) offered and (ii) provided to Russia in relation to (1) decommissioning redundant nuclear weapons and delivery systems, (2) destruction of chemical weapons and (3) other arms control systems; and if he will make a statement. [101384]

Mr. Hain: The UK has provided £35,900,000 in bilateral assistance to support the decommissioning of redundant nuclear weapons. This figure comprises £35 million for equipment to transfer warheads from the Former Soviet Union to Russia between 1992-95 and approximately £900,000 assistance on safeguards and materials accountancy. We have also announced a £5 million bilateral assistance programme to help Russia deal with its nuclear waste and spent fuel legacy. Specific projects are now being considered, but, before we can initiate projects on the ground, we need an adequate legal and financial framework for such assistance. This is under negotiation.

NATO does not provide financial assistance in these areas. At the Washington Summit this year, NATO said that it would consider options for confidence and security-building measures, verification, non-proliferation

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and arms control and disarmament. The Council in Permanent Session will propose a process to Ministers this month for considering such options.

The Chief Secretary to the Treasury announced on 24 November that nuclear safety in the Former Soviet Union would be the subject of cross departmental study in the 2000 Cross-cutting review. The UK is also contributing to ongoing discussions in the EU on a "Joint Action Establishing a European Union Co-operation Programme for Non-proliferation and Disarmament in the Russian Federation."

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the high-level parliamentary visits planned this year to Russia, referred to at paragraph 19 of the paper dated 6 October prepared by his Department and supplied to the Foreign Affairs Committee. [101386]

Mr. Vaz: I refer my hon. Friend to the annexe of Parliamentary visits attached to the supplementary Memorandum submitted to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 2 December. The list of visits for 1999 is as follows:
































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Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reasons the United Kingdom made representations to the Russian Government about the prosecution of the journalists Nikitin and Pasko; and if he will make a statement. [101383]

Mr. Vaz: We, along with our EU partners, have been concerned that the trials of the environmentalists Nikitin and Pasko should be conducted fairly, justly and in accordance with the European Convention on Human Rights. We will continue to monitor both cases.

Russia (QMV)

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reason qualified majority voting has been introduced into the Common EU strategy on Russia; what was his policy on its introduction; what decisions henceforth will no longer be subject to unanimity; what decisions have been taken under the new procedure; and what is the procedure for restoring the unanimity principle. [101013]

Mr. Vaz: The Treaty on European Union, as amended by the Treaty of Amsterdam, which entered into force on 1 May 1999, provides for the European Council to decide on common strategies unanimously. It also provides for the Council to act by qualified majority when adopting joint actions, common positions, or taking any other decisions on the basis of a common strategy. If a member of the Council declares that it intends for important and stated reasons of national interest to oppose the adoption of a decision to be taken by qualified majority, a vote shall not be taken. The Council may, acting by qualified majority, request that the matter be referred to the European Council for decision by unanimity. No actions have yet been taken on the basis of the common strategy on Russia by qualified majority. We support the new arrangements for the common foreign and security policy put in place by the Treaty of Amsterdam.

Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the extent to which the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty has been (a) ratified and (b) implemented by the relevant states. [101385]

Mr. Vaz: (a) The Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty was ratified by all 30 States and entered into force in July 1992. The adapted CFE Treaty was signed in Istanbul on 19 November 1999. The adapted Treaty will not come into force until all 30 signatories have ratified. This could take some time. In the interim period, the original CFE Treaty remains in force.

(b) While there have been a number of examples of non-compliance, implementation since the Treaty came into force has generally been good. We and our NATO Allies continue to press for full compliance, and have made clear that our ratification of the adapted Treaty will depend upon the level of all Parties' compliance with limits that have been agreed.

State Visits (Policing)

Mr. Rowlands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is standard

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practice for minutes not be taken of meetings held between officials of his Department and the Metropolitan Police on security matters relating to state visits. [101293]

Mr. Battle: It has not been standard practice to take minutes of such meetings.

Mr. Rowlands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he or his officials have had access to minutes taken by the Metropolitan Police of meetings between his officials and the police in relation to the visit of the Chinese President. [101354]

Mr. Battle: There are no such minutes.

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on those detained by the police during the state visit of the President of China to the UK. [101891]

Mr. Battle: Following a further review, I am now able to give figures for arrests for activities related to the State Visit in all police areas visited by the Chinese President. As I made clear in the Debate on the Address, no-one was charged. As the Minister of State, Home Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Norwich, South (Mr. Clarke) said on 5 November 1999, Official Report, column 366W, 15 people were arrested in the Metropolitan Police Area. I regret that I may have implied during the Debate on the Address that there were no arrests. I can now confirm that, in addition to those above, one person was arrested in the City of London. There were no arrests in Cambridge. I reconfirm that no one was charged in any of these police areas.

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