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Belize
Dr. Marek: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to refer to the territory of Belize as that defined in the 1859 Boundary Convention whenever he expresses his support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity for the country. [151876]
Mr. Battle: In supporting Belize's sovereignty and territorial integrity, the UK continues to regard the 1859 convention as defining the boundary between Belize and Guatemala.
China
Ms Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the UK/China human rights dialogue of 12 to 14 February. [152484]
Mr. Battle: The sixth round of the UK/China human rights dialogue was held in China between 12-14 February. This comprised two days of talks in Peking and a one day mission to Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province.
The formal talks were held with representatives of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, National People's Congress Legislative Affairs Commission, United Front Works Department, Supreme People's Court, Prisons Administration Bureau and the State Religious Affairs Bureau. We discussed China's co-operation with international human rights mechanisms; the ratification of the two human rights covenants; Tibet; Xinjiang; Falun Gong; rule of law issues; the use of the death penalty; and freedoms of religion, expression and association. We also called on the Ministry for Civil Affairs to discuss the village democracy programme, and on the All China Federation of Trade Unions.
We also raised 28 individual cases of concern: Chadrel Rinpoche, Chen Gang, Gao Xiaoliang; Gedhun Choekyi Nyima; Kang Yuchun, Liu Jingsheng, Ngawang Choepel, Ngawang Sangdrol, Abidjan Obulkasim, Zha Jianguo, Gao Hongming, Xu Wenli, Wang Youcai, Qin Yongmin, Li Dexian, Jiang Qisheng, Rebiya Kadeer, Wang Ce, Li Chang, Wang Zhiwen, Jelil Turdi, Zhang Shanguang, Jiang Shurang, Bishop Jame Su Zhimin, Huang Qi, Zhao Ming, Wenjiang Liang and Abdulhelil Abdumijit.
During the visit to Wenzhou, the British delegation was able to examine and discuss with the Wenzhou authorities the background to the reports of destruction of churches and temples as part of an urban redevelopment programme.
5 Mar 2001 : Column: 101W
Foreign Government Representations
Mr. Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what mechanisms exist for ensuring that representations made by foreign Governments to overseas diplomatic posts are brought to his attention. [151156]
Mr. Robin Cook: All posts overseas report to the FCO in London any formal approach from an overseas Government. This is normally in writing direct to the relevant FCO department. Correspondence on important issues is routinely copied to my private office.
Ministerial Visits
Sir Brian Mawhinney: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the Ministers in his Department who visited any of the constituencies which are in the Peterborough unitary authority area between 1 January 2000 and 14 February 2001, indicating in each case (a) the date of the visit, (b) the constituencies included in the visit and (c) if the local hon. Member met the Minister. [151025]
Mr. Robin Cook [holding answer 26 February 2001]: To the best of my knowledge, none of the Ministers in my Department visited any of the constituencies in the Peterborough unitary authority area between 1 January 2000 and 14 February 2001.
Qualified Majority Voting
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 12 February 2001, Official Report, column 47W, on qualified majority voting, if he will list each relevant article of Community treaties which moved to qualified majority voting, together with the topics concerned and the relevant competencies. [151602]
Mr. Vaz: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him on 9 January 2001, Official Report, columns 511-12W, which sets out a complete list of each article that will move to qualified majority voting when the treaty of Nice comes into force. The list also gives the topic covered by each article.
All of the articles of the EC treaty listed fall within the shared competence of the Community and member states except for articles 111(4), 123(4) and 133(5) of the EC treaty which fall within the Community's exclusive competence. The two articles of the treaty on European Union listed come within the intergovernmental pillars of that treaty where the concept of shared or exclusive competence is not relevant.
National Missile Defence
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his United States counterpart indicated to him in recent discussions that the National Missile Defence Project could be used to provide protection for the United Kingdom. [151599]
5 Mar 2001 : Column: 102W
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Departmental Surveys
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list for (a) 1992-93, (b) 1993-94, (c) 1994-95, (d) 1995-96, (e) 1996-97, (f) 1997-98, (g) 1998-99, (h) 1999-2000 and (i) 2000-01, (I) his Department's total spending on quantitative and qualitative surveys of policy issues by focus groups, opinion polling, task forces or other means and (II) the cost of each individual project. [146589]
Ms Quin: The Ministry is committed to listening to those affected by our policies and actions. We always aim to consult our stakeholders on policy developments and proposals at an early stage.
The detailed information requested is not held centrally and comprehensive data could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Costs
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the total gross running costs to his Department of the NDPBs accountable through his Department in the last 12 months. [149147]
Ms Quin: The net cost to MAFF of carrying out our NDPB sponsorship role in the financial year 1999-2000 is shown under "Other Expenditure by the Department" on pages 1-8 of the Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies 2000", which was published on 4 January 2001. Copies are available in the Libraries of the House.
There are two changes to the published figures:
- Horticulture Research International--net cost is £0.078 million;
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew--net cost is £0.086 million.
Ms Quin: From information held centrally, the total gross running costs to the Department in the last 12 months of (a) stationery and (b) printing and publishing were £1.338 million and £2.685 million respectively.
Beef Exports
Mr. Cox: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the countries to which British beef is exported; and what quantity was exported during the week beginning 1 January. [149379]
Ms Quin: The quantity and destination of exports of British beef from the UK are commercially confidential as only two slaughterhouses are currently approved to export under the date-based export scheme (DBES).
Farming (Leicestershire)
Mr. Reed: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the total value to Leicestershire farmers of all public funding made available to them for the most recent year for which figures are available. [149988]
5 Mar 2001 : Column: 103W
Ms Quin: Total subsidies paid to Leicestershire farmers by MAFF during the EU financial year 16 October 1999 to 15 October 2000 are provided in my answer of 26 February 2001, Official Report, columns 506-07W.
Farmers also have access to other sources of public funding, for which other Government Departments, local authorities and other public bodies are responsible, such as the regional development agencies redundant building grant programme and Working Families Tax Credit. We do not have data on the provision of such funds to Leicestershire farmers.
Agrimonetary Compensation Scheme
Mr. Nicholls: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will set out the Government's plans for the application of the £200 million of EU agrimonetary compensation available to UK farmers until 30 April. [150706]
Ms Quin: The Government are notifying the European Commission of their intention to draw down all of the agrimonetary compensation that is currently available for the beef, sheep and dairy sectors. This will total approximately £156 million.
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