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Low-income Households

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of households containing children in 2001-02 who will have no adult earning more than £7,400 per annum. [141709]

Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 11 December 2000]: Estimates of the income distribution in the UK are published in Tables 3.3 and 3.6 of "Inland Revenue Statistics 2000", published by the Inland Revenue.

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Tobacco

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the revenue which will accrue in the first six months of fiscal year 2000-01 from (a) seizures of tobacco made by additional staff and (b) seizures resulting from the installation of scanners. [141733]

Dawn Primarolo: No estimates have been made in this form. Estimates of additional revenue yields from the Government's anti-smuggling strategy for 2000-01 and subsequent years are included in the "Tackling Tobacco Smuggling" paper published in March 2000, a copy of which is available in the Library.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Kashmir

12. Mrs. Fitzsimons: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the Indian Government's ceasefire in Kashmir. [141971]

Mr. Hain: While visiting India, I welcomed the Indian Government's ceasefire in Kashmir during Ramadan, and called on militants and those supporting them to respond positively. I have welcomed Pakistan's subsequent announcement that its forces at the line of control will observe maximum restraint. We hope that these recent developments will create a climate which encourages dialogue between the Indian and Pakistani Governments.

19. Mrs. Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the Indian Government's ceasefire in Kashmir. [141979]

Mr. Hain: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier in the House today to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Hall Green (Mr. McCabe), Official Report, column 477.

British Overseas Territories

16. Mr. David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his policy in respect of the British overseas territories. [141976]

Mr. Battle: Our policy was set out in the White Paper on Overseas Territories published in March 1999. In it we propose a renewed contract based on mutual obligations and responsibilities. Key elements are the offer of British citizenship to British Dependent Territories citizens, modernisation of the relationship with the territories and the encouragement of good governance in such areas as human rights, financial sector regulation, law and order, the environment and sustainable development.

Nice Summit

20. Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress was made on enlargement at the recent Nice summit; and if he will make a statement. [141980]

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21. Mr. Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the IGC negotiations in Nice. [141981]

31. Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes there have been in qualified majority voting as a result of the Nice Council. [141992]

36. Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Nice summit. [141997]

Mr. Vaz: I refer the hon. Members to the statement on the outcome of the Nice European Council made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 11 December 2000, Official Report, columns 349-51.

Middle East Peace Process

22. Mr. Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's support for the middle east peace process. [141982]

Mr. Hain: The Government continue to do all they can to bring about a just and lasting solution to the middle east peace process. My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and I are closely engaged and have been in regular contact with both parties. For example, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister met with President Arafat on 8 November and spoke to Prime Minister Barak on 14 November. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met his Israeli and Palestinian counterparts in Marseilles on 16 November.

27. Mr. Ernie Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress in the middle east peace process. [141988]

Mr. Hain: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary to the Member for Bolton, South-East (Dr. Iddon), Official Report, column 461.

China (Human Rights)

23. Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his policy of constructive dialogue with the Chinese authorities in respect of human rights. [141984]

Mr. Battle: Since the policy of critical dialogue started in 1997, there have been five formal dialogue rounds supplemented by regular ministerial contact with the Chinese. The dialogue has enabled us to raise our concerns on human rights directly and frankly with the Chinese, in a depth that was not possible before. It has also led to an increasing flow of information on issues related to the human rights situation, including on individual cases of concern. The dialogue facilitated the operation of a programme of human rights and legal co-operation projects, designed to improve conditions on the ground in China.

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Since the start of the dialogue there has been increasing participation by China in international human rights mechanisms. China has signed both the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights and we believe will soon ratify the latter. China is now co-operating more closely with the UN Commissioner on Human Rights.

Brazil

24. Mr. Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations with Brazil. [141985]

Mr. Battle: Bilateral relations are in excellent shape and continue to reflect the warmth created by President Cardoso's State Visit to the UK in December 1997, and the personal rapport established between Cardoso and my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister. The Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister for the Cabinet Office, and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry have all visited Brazil this year. I attended the annual UK-Brazil high level talks in Brasilia in September 1999, and hosted the talks in London in September this year.

Pakistan

26. Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Britain's relations with Pakistan. [141987]

Mr. Hain: Britain remains one of Pakistan's oldest and closest friends. We continue to urge General Musharraf to produce a credible timetable for democracy. We are pleased that the first round of local elections will commence soon but are disappointed that they will be held on a non-party basis. We also welcome Pakistan's positive response to the Indian ceasefire announcement on Kashmir.

38. Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the new High Commissioner and representatives of Pakistan on steps to restore democracy in Pakistan. [141999]

Mr. Hain: I discussed the restoration of democracy with the new High Commissioner when we met on 6 December. I reiterated to him that the UK remained on hand to offer advice and assistance to the Pakistan authorities to help restore democratic rule.

Sri Lanka

28. Mr. Pound: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs following the recent visit of the Minister of State, what assessment he has made of the conflict in Sri Lanka. [141989]

Mr. Hain: I hope that both sides can agree terms for a return to permanent status negotiations. We continue to do all we can towards this goal.

Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the conflict in Sri Lanka. [141990]

Mr. Hain: I hope that both sides can agree terms for a return to permanent status negotiations. We continue to do all we can towards this goal.

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