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Ghana
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list those companies that have received promotional assistance in exporting to Ghana in each of the last five years. [101972]
Mr. Caborn [holding answer 9 December 1999]: British Trade International provides assistance to companies seeking to trade with or invest in Ghana. I shall place in the Library of the House a list of those companies interested in exporting to Ghana over the last five years, who have participated in the formal export promotion schemes now run by British Trade International.
Oftel
Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the projected costs of Oftel for the financial years (a) 1999-2000 and (b) 2000-01. [102749]
Ms Hewitt: The information is as follows:
| 1999-2000 | 2000-01 | |
|---|---|---|
| Running costs | 12.3 | 11.1 |
| Other capital expenditure | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| Capital | 1.2 | 0.4 |
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"Modern Markets: Confident Customers"
Mr. Woolas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how he plans to take forward the White Paper, "Modern Markets: Confident Customers". [103125]
Dr. Howells: The White Paper contained some 90 initiatives to help people get a good deal. I have today published a detailed implementation plan, giving commitments on timing and naming an official responsible for each. I have placed copies in the Library of the House.
Post Office
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on DTI-DSS co-ordination in relation to the Post Office. [101554]
Mr. Alan Johnson: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and I maintain a dialogue with our DSS colleagues, and there is regular contact between our officials at working level on matters of mutual interest, including the Post Office.
Electronic Mail
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to extend the privacy protection afforded to the Royal Mail to electronic mail correspondence; and if he will make a statement. [101083]
Mr. Straw [holding answer 6 December 1999]: I have been asked to reply.
Section 1 of the Interception of Communications Act 1985 makes it an offence to intercept a communication in the course of its transmission by post or by means of a public telecommunications system. It therefore provides privacy protection for electronic mail (e-mail) when it is carried on the network of a public telecommunications operator (PTO), but not when it passes over networks which are not operated by a PTO. We recognise the need to extend legal protection to all communications on non-PTO networks. In June 1999, the Home Office published a consultation paper, "Interception of Communications in the UK", which contains the Government's proposals for legislation in this area. I will carry these proposals forward in the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill which was announced in the Queen's Speech.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Immigration and Asylum Appeals
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many immigration and asylum appeal hearings in (a) 1997-98, (b) 1998-99 and (c) 1999-2000 his Department did not present its case. [101495]
Mrs. Roche:
In 1997-98 the Presenting Officer Unit (POU) piloted new working procedures designed to increase flexibility and productivity which included identifying non-complex cases in which the absence of a Presenting Officer would not affect the outcome of the appeal. A total of 126 appeal cases were heard without a Home Office representative being present. In 1998-99 the Immigration Appellate Authority (IAA) significantly
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increased its throughput of appeals and by introducing the new working practices the POU was able to target resources with some precision. The IAA was informed in 6,230 cases, 11 per cent. of the total listed for hearing, that there would be no Home Office representative: no information is available as to how many of these cases proceeded to a hearing. In the current financial year the IAA has been informed in 610 cases, 3 per cent. of total listed, that there would be no Home Office representative.
Mr. David Davis:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have put in place for the taking and keeping of minutes of meetings between Ministers and people outside his Department. [102374]
Mr. Straw:
Private secretaries usually take notes of formal meetings between Ministers and people from outside the Home Office. The degree of detail recorded, and the writing up of notes, depends on the nature of the meeting and of the issues raised.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each of the police forces in England and Wales, the dates of (a) force reorganisation plans and (b) new chief officers taking up appointment. [R] [102393]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
The organisational structure of each police force is a matter for the chief officer of police.
In relation to police areas of the Metropolitan Police Service, Essex Police, Hertfordshire Constabulary and Surrey Police will change on 1 April 2000 when the boundaries of the Metropolitan Police District are brought into line with those of the 32 London Boroughs. These changes are from section 323 of the Greater London Authority Act. The commencement order has been made which will bring section 323 into effect from 1 April 2000.
The dates of new chief officers who have taken up appointment during 1999 are:
| Date | |
|---|---|
| Dorset Police | 10 May 1999 |
| Gwent Police | 23 July 1999 |
| Hampshire Constabulary | 21 September 1999 |
| West Mercia Constabulary | 5 April 1999 |
St. Kitts
Mr. Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the entitlement of residents of St. Kitts to British citizenship. [102300]
Mrs. Roche:
St. Kitts and Nevis is no longer a British dependent territory. A St Kitts and Nevis child may in certain circumstances have an entitlement to registration as a British citizen, but in most instances a number of years' residence in the United Kingdom is required on the part of the child and/or its parents. Adults may obtain
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British citizenship only by naturalisation, which is a discretionary matter rather than an entitlement, generally following some years' residence in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding is made available by his Department for help in setting up neighbourhood watch schemes. [102707]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
We do not provide funding to set up individual Neighbourhood Watch schemes. We do, however, fund national initiatives such as publicity campaigns and training packs which have played a considerable part in the growth of the movement.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the principal conclusions and recommendations of the review of the interpretation of section 133(1) of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 that was concluded in April 1999; and if he will place a copy of that review in the Library. [101709]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
This review did not lead to any change of policy or practice. The review was conducted by means of communications between Ministers and officials of various Departments, and legal advice to Ministers. The Code of Practice on Access to Government Information indicates that such internal discussion and advice is exempt from the commitments to provide information in that Code.
Rapier Mk 2 Missiles
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what was the value of the contract for Rapier Mk 2 surface-to-air missiles that was awarded to Matra BAe Dynamics; [100760]
- (2) how many Rapier Mk 2 surface-to-air missiles have been ordered from Matra BAe Dynamics in addition to the original order. [100759]
Mr. Kilfoyle: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Sir Robert Walmsley to Mr. Mike Hancock, dated 15 December 1999:
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I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the value of the contract for Rapier Mk 2 surface-to-air missiles that was awarded to Matra BAe Dynamics. You also asked how many Rapier Mk 2 surface-to-air missiles have been ordered from Matra BAe Dynamics additional to the original order. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
The value of the contract for Rapier Mk 2 surface-to-air missiles that was awarded to Matra BAe Dynamics is around £260M. I am afraid that I am unable to let you know how many missiles have been ordered as it is considered that the release of this information would be harmful to our national security interests and would also be in breach of a third party's commercial confidences. I am therefore withholding this information under Exemptions 1 and 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
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