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Shageldy Atakov

Mr. David Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further contact he has had with the Turkmen Foreign Minister concerning the continuing incarceration of Shageldy Atakov; and what representations he has made to the Turkmen authorities concerning the persecution of Christians in Turkmenistan. [3837]

Peter Hain: Since the then Minister for Europe's reply to the hon. Member for Richmond Park (Dr. Tonge) on 11 May 2001, Official Report, column 452W, the US embassy, with the agreement of the Turkmen authorities, offered Mr. Atakov asylum in the US. Mr. Atakov rejected this offer. The UK, together with EU partners, continues regularly to raise the case of Mr. Atakov with the Turkmen authorities. At a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on 21 June, the EU Presidency pressed the Turkmen OSCE representative for Mr. Atakov's release. We also seek every opportunity to raise with the Turkmen Foreign Ministry the wider issue of persecution of Christians in Turkmenistan. Our ambassador in Ashgabat will raise the issue when he makes his introductory call on the new Turkmen Foreign Minister, Rashid Meredov.

Hezbullah

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement concerning the kidnapping of Elchanan Tannenbaum by Hezbullah. [3806]

Mr. Bradshaw: This Government condemn hostage taking under any circumstances. On 3 May the then Foreign Secretary, my right hon. Friend the Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook) and the then Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Cunninghame, North (Mr. Wilson), met the families of the reservist Colonel Tannenbaum kidnapped by Hezbullah on 4 October and the three soldiers kidnapped on 7 October. The Government are doing what they can to help and have raised these cases, and continues to do so, with the relevant countries in the region pressing particularly for

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access to the hostages for the ICRC. We strongly support all efforts to secure the release of all hostages, particularly efforts led by the United Nations Secretary-General.

Green Ministers

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) on what date a Green Minister was first appointed in his Department; when subsequent appointments were made; and if he will make a statement; [3894]

(2) what the terms of reference are for the Green Minister in his Department; and if he will make a statement. [3978]

Peter Hain [holding answer 13 July 2001]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment on 13 July 2001, Official Report, column 689W.

EU Charter of Fundamental Rights

Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings he has had to discuss the impact on the English legal system of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. [2615]

Peter Hain: I have not met the Lord Chancellor to discuss this issue. The Charter of Rights is a political declaration. It is not legally binding. It is addressed to the EU Institutions, and to member states, only to the extent that they are implementing EU law.

War Crimes Tribunal

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place with the authorities of Republika Srbska regarding bringing Radovan Karadzic and General Mladic to the international War Crimes Tribunal in the Hague; and if he will make a statement. [4508]

Mr. MacShane: Primary responsibility for detaining indictees rests with the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We take every opportunity to raise this issue with the appropriate authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including in Republika Srbska. They are in no doubt of the importance we attach to co-operation with the International Criminal Tribunal. I discussed this issue myself with political leaders when I was in Sarajevo on 12–13 July. I also told Bosnian Serb media that Karadzic and Mladic should be handed over to The Hague. We remain committed to ensuring that all of those indicted for war crimes in former Yugoslavia, including Karadzic and Mladic, are brought to justice.

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the failure by NATO forces to arrest Radovan Karadzic and General Mladic. [4505]

Mr. MacShane: Primary responsibility for detaining indictees rests with the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. NATO SFOR troops are mandated to detain any indicted individual they encounter during their operations. To date NATO has detained 25 of those indicted, demonstrating its commitment to support The Hague tribunal's efforts to ensure that all of those indicted for war crimes in former Yugoslavia, including Karadzic

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and Mladic, are brought to justice. Of the 25 detentions so far, over half have been carried out or supported by UK forces.

WALES

Flooding (North Wales)

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Secretary of the National Assembly about flooding in north Wales. [4130]

Mr. Paul Murphy: I meet the First Secretary regularly to discuss a range of issues, including the flooding in north Wales.

The Assembly responded urgently to the autumn 2000 floods by offering local authorities additional funding in support of both current and capital costs.

The Assembly has also commissioned a review of flood defence arrangements in Wales, to determine what steps are needed to improve existing arrangements.

Ministerial Travel

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last travelled on the London underground in the course of his official duties. [3681]

Mr. Paul Murphy: In an official capacity I last used the underground when I travelled to the Millennium Dome. It was the most efficient and cost-effective mode of travel. However, as Secretary of State for Wales I have few official engagements in London that require the use of the underground.

IT Contracts

Mr. Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the information technology contracts in excess of £500,000 let by his Department or its predecessor since April 1991, giving in each case the original estimated cost and original estimated completion date, the actual cost and actual completion date and the names of the contractors involved and consultants retained by his Department. [3510]

Mr. Paul Murphy: Since it was established on 1 July 1999, the information technology requirements of the Wales Office have been met by the National Assembly for Wales under the terms of a service level agreement.

There is no central record of contracts entered into by the former Welsh Office prior to that date. However, one contract in excess of £500,000 has been identified—OSIRIS, a contract under the Private Finance Initiative for provision of networked office automation facilities, for which the requested details are as follows:

original estimated cost—£20 million (excluding VAT);

original estimated completion date—this is a service contract of seven years duration which ends in January 2004;

actual cost—the contract has yet to reach its full term. It is estimated that expenditure by January 2004 will be £55 million (excluding VAT);

actual completion date—January 2004 (the contract has transferred to the National Assembly for Wales); and

supplier—Siemens Business Services.

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The cost of the contract is dependent on the number of users of the system. User numbers have risen both as a result of exploiting the opportunities offered by IT for changes to working practices and also by a variety of steps which have been taken to strengthen the democratic process in Wales.

HOME DEPARTMENT

James Ashley

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the cost of the internal police investigations which were established following the shooting of James Ashley. [3136]

Mr. Denham [holding answer 10 July, 2001]: I am informed by the Sussex Police Authority that they have reimbursed costs of £6,443 for the investigation led by the former Chief Constable of Hampshire into the conduct of senior Sussex officers; and that Sussex Police have reimbursed Kent Police £313,000 for the costs of the investigations of other aspects of the case. Those costs exclude the costs of Sussex officers involved, and the costs of legal advice for the Police Authority and the force.

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what investigations have been initiated to discover the source of the leak of documents relating to the internal police investigations into the shooting of James Ashley; and if he will make a statement. [3137]

Mr. Denham [holding answer 10 July 2001]: These documents are the property of the Sussex Police Authority and Chief Constable, and it is for them to consider what investigations should take place. The Police Authority wrote to my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney- General on 25 May about this. He replied on 15 June that investigations into possible criminal offences are a matter for the police.

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