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Belize

Mr. Peter Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice the High Commission in Belize has given to British businesses there as to the legality of their use of call-back services when telephoning the UK; and if he will make a statement. [155056]

Mr. Battle: The High Commission has not been asked by British business to advise on the legality of using call-back services when telephoning the UK.

Mr. Peter Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the UK authorities have made to the Chairman of Belize Telecoms about his threat to withdraw telephone services from the British High Commission and others in Belize; what has been his response; and if he will make a statement. [155059]

Mr. Battle: The High Commissioner in Belmopan has been in correspondence with the Chairman of Belize Telecommunications Ltd. and has pointed out that it would constitute an unlawful act if BTL were to cease to provide telephone services to the High Commission because of the disagreement about the legality of the High Commission's use of call-back services. The Belizean Government would be obliged under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations to ensure that normal service is resumed if the High Commission's telephone services were cut off in these circumstances.

The Chairman of BTL has responded reiterating BTL's claim that the use of call-back services is illegal.

29 Mar 2001 : Column: 747W

Mr. Peter Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contact there has been between Interoute (UK) Ltd. and the UK authorities about its right to offer its commercial services to clients and potential clients in Belize; and if he will make a statement. [155058]

Mr. Battle: None directly. In October 2000, Interoute sent a promotional leaflet to the High Commission in Belmopan. The High Commission circulated it as part of its normal activities in support of UK business, and informed Interoute of this action.

Mr. Peter Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the dispute between Belize Telecom and the British High Commission in Belize has been resolved; and if he will make a statement. [155055]

Mr. Battle: It has not yet been resolved. The British High Commission (BHC) in Belmopan has been in correspondence with the Chairman of Belize Telecommunications Ltd. (BTL). The latest position is that BTL stands by its claim that the use of call-back services by the BHC is illegal. They are insisting that the BHC stop using call-back services and have raised the question of compensation. BTL have claimed that they are not obliged to maintain telephone services to subscribers who use call-back services.

The BHC believed the call-back services represented good value for money. The BHC is clear that the use of call-back services is lawful, and that any action by BTL to terminate its telephone services in these circumstances would itself be unlawful.

Mr. Peter Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the saving to the British High Commission in Belize from its use of call-back services; what has been the cost of its dispute with Belize Telecoms; if this cost is recoverable from the company; and if he will make a statement. [155060]

Mr. Battle: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to his question on 25 January 2001, Official Report, column 662W, on the savings issue. We do not hold details of the number of man-hours used to deal with this matter. To date no other costs have been incurred.

We estimate that the cost of the loss of call-back services to the High Commission would be in the region of £10,000 per year.

Mr. Peter Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the British High Commission in Belize by companies and others seeking to use call-back services when telephoning the UK; and if he will make a statement. [155057]

Mr. Battle: A very small number of representations have been received by the High Commission. The High Commission has described its understanding of the situation and has recommended that companies and others take their own legal advice.

Mr. Peter Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what legal proceedings have arisen from the dispute between Belize Telecom and the British High Commission in Belize; and if he will make a statement. [155054]

29 Mar 2001 : Column: 748W

Mr. Battle: No legal proceedings have been instigated by the High Commission in Belmopan. Neither are we aware of any being taken by Belize Telecommunications Ltd.

PRIME MINISTER

Ilisu Dam

Mr. Austin: To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received from the World Archaeological Congress regarding Hasankeyf and the Ilisu Dam; and if he will make a statement. [146852]

The Prime Minister [pursuant to my answer, 2 February 2001, c. 331W]: I have received a letter from the President of the World Archaeological Congress. My right hon. Friend, the Minister for Trade, replied to the President's letter.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Holding Centre Report

Mr. Soley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will publish the eighth annual report of the Independent Commissioner for the Holding Centre. [156482]

Dr. Reid: I have today arranged for copies of Dr. Bill Norris' Annual Report for 2000 to be placed in the Library of both Houses.

I welcome Dr. Norris' Report and I will consider it carefully. I will respond as soon as possible.

Crime Reduction

Mr. Pond: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to reduce crime in Northern Ireland. [156481]

Mr. Ingram: A number of significant steps have recently been taken to reduce crime in Northern Ireland, including my announcements last week of a strategy to tackle organised crime, a small business security grant scheme available from early April, and the introduction of Banknote Watch, an initiative aimed at providing enhanced security for the cash-in-transit industry.

In addition, I have now decided to introduce specific crime reduction targets to address volume crime in Northern Ireland. After careful consideration I have set the following three targets to be achieved over a five year period: a 15 per cent. reduction in domestic burglary; a 10 per cent. reduction in vehicle thefts; and a 10 per cent. reduction in theft from vehicles.

Baselines will be set during 2001-02 and the reductions sought over the following five years. The Government are committed over the same period to achieving a reduction in the rate of increase of overall crime.

These targets are tailored to the specific circumstances of Northern Ireland. Research has indicated that these crimes, which between them account for over 20 per cent. of all recorded crime, are the crimes of greatest concern to the general public.

29 Mar 2001 : Column: 749W

These targets will not be for the police alone to deliver. Experience has shown that the most effective way to tackle crime is for agencies to come together in a partnership-based approach. We shall be discussing with the First and Deputy First Ministers how the necessary partnerships might best be delivered.

While Northern Ireland has experienced a relatively low rate of crime compared to other jurisdictions, this initiative demonstrates that the Government are not complacent and that we continue to take the steps necessary to tackle this issue. Crime and the fear of crime affect everyone's quality of life and must be addressed in a robust and effective way.

Remembrance Memorial

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the Government's provision of a national memorial in remembrance of those who lost their lives in the service of the Crown during the course of the Northern Ireland troubles. [156480]

Dr. Reid: A memorial, to be known as the Ash Grove Memorial, has been sited within the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas in Staffordshire. The memorial takes the form of a grove of ash trees, at the centre of which is a circle of six large boulders, quarried from each of the six counties in Northern Ireland. These boulders encase a granite monolith which will bear the inscription:

IN MEMORIAM


In grateful memory of the men and women of the


Royal Ulster Constabulary, the Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve,


the Armed Forces and other


organisations in the service of the Crown


who have laid down their lives in the cause of peace in Northern Ireland


1969-2001

ADVOCATE-GENERAL

Parliamentary Questions

Mr. Alasdair Morgan: To ask the Advocate-General for Scotland when she will reply to question 147384 tabled on 23 January in relation to the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Bill. [155129]

The Advocate-General: I replied to the hon. Member on 21 March 2001, Official Report, column 270W.

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