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Nuclear Power Stations
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on phasing out nuclear power stations. [2788]
Mr. Wilson: As with other electricity generation options, decisions on station lifetimes are a commercial matter for the generating companies subject to the necessary authorisation by NII. It is expected that existing nuclear stations will continue to contribute to the country's energy requirements and to the reduction of CO 2 emissions for as long as the companies consider it economic for them to do so and provided they meet the high safety and environmental standards required.
Solar Power
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the contribution that solar power can make to meeting the United Kingdom's energy needs. [2538]
Mr. Wilson: Solar power is a technology with significant longer-term potential in helping to meet the UK's energy needs.
With a view to bringing forward this technology's potential, we are supporting a range of initiatives such as domestic and large-scale commercial field trials plus the first phase of a major PV roofs programme aimed, in time, at matching those in Germany and Japan.
Weights and Measures Act
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she proposes to introduce the changes outlined in the public consultation paper on proposed legislative changes under the Weights and Measures Act 1985 issued in December 2000. [2822]
Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 11 July 2001]: The responses to the consultation document are under consideration.
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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Lord Ashcroft
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date his Department received a request for documents under the Data Protection Act 1998 from Lord Ashcroft; and on what date his Department replied to the request. [1000]
Mr. MacShane: Under the non-disclosure provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 it is not appropriate to disclose personal data except to the data subject concerned.
Zimbabwe
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made regarding the decision by the Zimbabwean authorities not to extend the work permit of the reporter David Blair. [2716]
Mr. Bradshaw: In his statement of 27 June, the Foreign Secretary expressed concern at the Zimbabwe Government's decision not to renew David Blair's work permit and expressed his hope that the Government of Zimbabwe would reconsider their decision.
Turkey
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of Turkey's ban of the Virtue Party on Turkey's prospects of joining the EU; and if he will make a statement. [2982]
Peter Hain: We are concerned at the Turkish Constitutional Court's decision to order the closure of Fazilet. The decision has worrying implications for democratic pluralism and freedom of expression in Turkey. The EU statement of 25 June (available on the internet at http://ue.eu.int/newsroom/main.cfm?LANG=1) expressed this concern. Turkey (like all other candidates) must meet the Copenhagen political criteria before beginning negotiations to join the European Union.
Diplomatic Missions
Mrs. Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the names of diplomatic missions in the United Kingdom that owed more than £10,000 at 4 April in respect of national non-domestic rates for office premises. [4525]
Mr. Straw: Most diplomatic missions in the United Kingdom meet their obligations and pay the national non-domestic rates requested from them. However, as at 4 April 2001 the following missions owed over £10,000 in respect of national non-domestic rates (NNDR):
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Eight additional diplomatic missions who owe £10,000 more in respect of national non-domestic rates have made arrangements with the Valuation Office Agency to clear their outstanding debts and have not been included in this list. The total amount outstanding from all missions, including these additional diplomatic missions, is approximately £1,480,218.62.
Mrs. Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many outstanding parking and other minor traffic violation fines were incurred by diplomatic missions and international organisations in the United Kingdom during the year ending 31 December 2000. [4526]
Mr. Straw: At the end of 2000, unpaid fines in respect of parking and other minor traffic violations incurred by diplomatic missions and international organisations in the United Kingdom totalled 5,889. In May this year the Foreign and Commonwealth Office wrote to all diplomatic missions and international organisations in the United Kingdom giving them the opportunity to either pay their outstanding fines or appeal against them if they considered that they had been issued incorrectly. As a result payments totalling £81,120.00 were received, leaving a total of 3,936 unpaid fines for 2000. The table details those diplomatic missions and international organisations that have more than 10 fines outstanding.
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Libya (Export Licence)
Mr. Ronnie Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the issuing of an export licence in September 2000 for a military-listed chemical to Libya. [4585]
Mr. Bradshaw: In September 2000 the Government inadvertently issued a licence for a small quantity of military listed chemical to Libya. This was technically in breach of the UK interpretation of the EU arms embargo on Libya. The chemical was for use in the laboratory analysis of water and sewage samples. The goods have now been exported and the licence has been returned as exhausted. As a result of the error we have revised assessment procedures of export licence applications to embargoed destinations. The Government continue to support the EU arms embargo on Libya.
Malaysia
Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the arrest under the Internal Security Act of the President of the Student Council, University of Malaysia, Mohamad Fuad Mohd Ikhwan. [3746]
Mr. Bradshaw: Mohamad Fuad Mohd Ikhwan was detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) on 6 July. We are concerned at the recent use of this Act, which provides for detention without trial. We hope that all those detained under the ISA will be either charged or released. We and our EU partners continue to monitor the developments closely and take up the issue with the Malaysian authorities on suitable occasions.
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