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North Korea
Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the prospects for bilateral links between the UK and North Korea. [149908]
Mr. Battle: Following the establishment of diplomatic relations between the UK and the DPRK on 12 December 2000, both sides have agreed to set up a resident Embassy in each other's capital, and have appointed Charges d'Affaires who will be responsible for developing relations until Ambassadors are appointed later this year.
Initially we propose to increase our contacts with the DPRK through English language teaching, and training. Sir John Kerr, Permanent Under-Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, will also visit the DPRK in March for talks on political, economic, foreign trade and cultural issues.
I have recently met a senior delegation from the Korean Workers' Party, the ruling party in the DPRK, and met DPRK participants at a recent conference on North East Asia at Wilton Park. They later called on my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 20 February.
During this meeting the Secretary of State raised a number of issues including human rights and non- proliferation.
Policy and Strategy Units
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when his policy planning unit was established; which of its reports are placed in the public domain; how many departmental or non- departmental Special Advisers participate in its work; how many regular (a) non-departmental and (b) departmental staff participate in its work; and how many of these work for the unit on a full-time basis. [150362]
Mr. Robin Cook: Policy Planners Department has been in existence since 1967-68 when it was a part of the Planning, Research, Defence and Disarmament Group. Policy Planning Staff is the present name of the
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department. It reports direct to the Permanent Under- Secretary, Sir John Kerr, who chairs the FCO Policy Advisory Board which is made up of civil servants. The papers produced for the board are not normally in the public domain. Policy Planning Staff contribute to several FCO public documents including the FCO departmental report and the FCO website.
There are 11 full-time staff and two secondees from outside the UK. No Special Adviser works in the department.
Ministerial Meetings
Mr. Swinney: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many technical committees and working parties of the EU Council of Ministers the Scottish Executive have been informed about in advance by (a) UKREP and (b) UK Government Departments, since 1 July 1999. [150352]
Mr. Vaz [holding answer 14 February 2001]: Under the arrangements set out in the EU concordat, the Scottish Executive are informed by Government Departments of all technical committees and working parties in which they have an interest.
Mr. Swinney: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many technical committees and working parties of the EU Council of Ministers have been attended by (a) UK officials and (b) UK delegations including Scottish Executive Ministers since 1 July 1999. [150354]
Mr. Vaz [holding answer 14 February 2001]: Detailed information in the form requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Ministers do not attend working level meetings.
Mr. Swinney: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) formal and (b) informal EU Council of Ministers meetings have been attended by British Government delegations which include Scottish Executive Ministers since 1 July 1999; and if he will list the dates and subjects of these meetings. [150356]
Mr. Vaz [holding answer 14 February 2001]: The information is as follows.
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| Year | Date | Council | Minister |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 24-25 September | Informal meeting of Ministers of Education | Sam Galbraith |
| 1999 | 26 October | Fisheries Council (Luxembourg) | John Home Robertson |
| 1999 | 22 November | Fisheries Council (Brussels) | John Home Robertson |
| 1999 | 13 December | Environment Council (Brussels) | Sarah Boyack |
| 1999 | 14 December | Agriculture Council (Brussels) | Ross Finnie |
| 1999 | 16 December | Fisheries Council (Brussels) | John Home Robertson |
| 2000 | 17-18 March | Informal Council for Ministers of Lifelong Learning (Portugal) | Nicol Stephen |
| 2000 | 20 March | Agriculture Council (Brussels) | Ross Finnie |
| 2000 | 8 June | Education Council (Luxembourg) | Nicol Stephen |
| 2000 | 16 June | Fisheries Council (Luxembourg) | John Home Robertson |
| 2000 | 22 June | Environment Council (Brussels) | Sarah Boyack |
| 2000 | 17 November | Fisheries Council (Brussels) | Rhona Brankin |
| 2000 | 20 November | Agriculture Council (Brussels) | Ross Finnie |
| 2000 | 30 November | Justice and Home Affairs Council (Brussels) | Jim Wallace |
| 2000 | 14-15 December | Fisheries Council (Brussels) | Rhona Brankin |
| 2001 | 12 February | Education and Youth Council (Brussels) | Nicol Stephen |
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Mr. Swinney: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK joint ministerial committee meetings regarding European Union issues have been held since 1 July 1999. [150351]
Mr. Vaz [holding answer 14 February 2001]: The first UK joint ministerial committee meeting on EU issues will take place on 1 March.
Mr. Swinney: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which technical committees and working parties of the EU Council of Ministers, attended by UK Government delegates, have been led by Scottish Executive Ministers on behalf of the UK. [150353]
Mr. Vaz [holding answer 14 February 2001]: Ministers do not attend working level meetings.
Mr. Swinney: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) formal and (b) informal EU Council of Ministers meetings attended by British Government delegations were led by Scottish Government Ministers since 1 July 1999; and if he will list the dates and subjects of these meetings. [150355]
Mr. Vaz [holding answer 14 February 2001]: On 8 June 2000 and 12 February 2001 Nicol Stephen, currently Deputy Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs in the Scottish Executive, led for the UK at Education Councils. These are the only occasions since May 1997 that the UK delegation has been led at the Council of Ministers by a Minister who is not a Member of the Westminster Parliament. These substitutions were agreed with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment.
Mr. Swinney: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) formal and (b) informal EU Council Ministers meetings have been attended by UK Government Ministers since 1 July 1999; and if he will list the dates and subject of the meetings. [150357]
Mr. Vaz: Since 1 July 1999 there have been 131 formal Council meetings and 33 informal meetings, as shown in the following list. UK Government Ministers or Ministers from the devolved Administrations have attended the vast majority of these. Where appropriate, senior officials have attended in their place.
Detailed information of who attended individual meetings is not held centrally, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
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