---

Gibraltar

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the strategic role of Gibraltar. [14293]

Mr. Ingram: Gibraltar has been and continues to be an important overseas base for the British Armed Forces, and contains valuable support, logistic, communications and training facilities.

Nuclear Bunker, Cotswolds

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with English Heritage over conferring listed status to the former Government's nuclear control and operations bunker in the Cotswolds. [14681]

Dr. Moonie: I will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Eurofighter

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he made of the effect of the removal of the cannon from the Eurofighter on the RAF's future capability to deter civilian aircraft from hazardous flight paths; and if he will make a statement. [14821]

Mr. Ingram: Eurofighter will be equipped with highly capable air-to-air missiles. We do not consider that the absence of a cannon from Eurofighter will have any material effect on the ability of the RAF to deter civilian aircraft from hazardous flight paths.

14 Nov 2001 : Column: 742W

Afghanistan

Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what military airlift provision is directed to delivering aid to Afghanistan. [14624]

Mr. Ingram: Three coalition C-17 aircraft are directed to delivering aid to Afghanistan. They have been flying nightly since the start of the campaign and, so far, have delivered approximately 1.3 million humanitarian daily rations.

Search and Rescue Helicopters

Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to provide search and rescue services through a private finance initiative when the helicopters used in SAR operations are replaced. [14623]

Mr. Ingram: The existing Sea King fleet (which includes the Search and Rescue aircraft) is due to be replaced in 2010–15. A full range of potential strategies are being evaluated to meet the search and rescue requirement, one of which is the potential for Public-Private Partnership/Private Finance Initiative.

Arms Trafficking

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the annual report on the implementation of the EU joint action, of 17 December 1998, on the European Union's contribution to combating the destabilising accumulation and spread of small arms and light weapons (199/34/CFSP) and the EU programme on illicit trafficking in conventional arms of June 1997. [14259]

Mr. Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.

The Government had an opportunity to comment on the draft of the annual report on the implementation of the EU joint action, of 17 December 1998, on the European Union's contribution to combating the destabilising accumulation and spread of small arms and light weapons (1999/34/CFSP) and the EU programme on illicit trafficking in conventional arms of June 1997, as did all other EU member states. The report is entirely consistent with the Government's policy on Small Arms and Light Weapons. It provides a detailed account of action taken by EU member states at the national level and in international forums to combat the dangerous proliferation of small arms. The report also sets out priorities for a more systematic approach to EU assistance in this crucial area of work. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office submitted the report for parliamentary scrutiny on 14 June.

The Government are committed to tackling the scourge of small arms proliferation. The need to eradicate the illicit trade in small arms has a particular urgency in the context of the war against terrorism. The annual report predates the first ever UN Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, held in New York in July 2001. The Conference adopted a Programme of Action which commits States politically to put in place export control mechanisms, measures to ensure small arms traceability and to control brokers, and to destroy surplus weapons. There will be a Review Conference in 2006. It is vital that countries sustain the political momentum built up at the Conference to

14 Nov 2001 : Column: 743W

implement the programme of Action. The UK will continue to co-operate with our EU partners, within the framework of the EU's Joint Action on Small Arms and the EU Programme on Illicit Trafficking, to address these issues as a matter of priority.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Zimbabwe

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Government of Zimbabwe about terrorist acts against landowners. [13400]

Mr. Bradshaw: We regularly raise our concerns with the Government of Zimbabwe on continuing rural violence and the breakdown in the rule of law. At Abuja on 6 September, the Government of Zimbabwe made a commitment to end occupations of farm land and to remove illegal occupiers. My noble Friend Baroness Amos accompanied Commonwealth partners to Zimbabwe on 25–26 October, to assess implementation of the Abuja Agreement and to urge the Government to abide by their commitments.

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of sanctions which could be imposed by (a) the UK and (b) the Commonwealth against the Zimbabwe Government. [13398]

Mr. Bradshaw: The UK introduced a national arms embargo on Zimbabwe in May 2000. The UK is working closely with EU partners on Zimbabwe. At the 29 October General Affairs Council, EU Ministers decided to open Article 96 consultations with the Government of Zimbabwe. This gives Zimbabwe 60 days to address EU concerns. Any action by the Commonwealth is a matter for the Commonwealth as a whole.

International Criminal Tribunal

for the Former Yugoslavia

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance his Department has given to the International War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague in connection with the recent trials of Bosnian Serbs. [13401]

Peter Hain: The Government are committed to assisting the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in its aim of bringing justice and stability to the peoples of the region. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office contributes through the United Nations to the running expenses of the Tribunal and, together with other Government Departments, provides practical assistance in personnel and expertise. Where we provide material or witnesses in connection with a trial, this is done in accordance with established standards and practices agreed between the Government and the Tribunal.

The Government provide assistance to the Tribunal in all cases, regardless of the ethnicity of the accused.

14 Nov 2001 : Column: 744W

Israel (British-made Military Components)

Mr. Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of whether British-made components are being used in the Israeli-occupied territories by the Israeli Defence Force on (a) Apache helicopters, (b) Merkava tanks, (c) Huey helicopters, (d) armoured personnel carriers and (e) F16 jets; and if he will make a statement. [13669]

Mr. Bradshaw: We have no evidence that equipment or components manufactured in the UK and licensed for export by this Government have been used by Israeli forces against civilians in the occupied territories during the recent and continuing violence. We would be concerned if such evidence came to light.

We look at all export licence applications to Israel on a case-by-case basis against the consolidated National and EU criteria, taking careful account in each case of the nature of the equipment and the proposed end-use and end-user in light of the circumstance prevailing at the time. This means inter alia we will not issue licences where there is a clear risk that the equipment might be used in internal repression, international aggression, adversely affect regional stability or prolong internal conflict. We are keeping the situation under close review.

Mr. Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the system for monitoring the end-use of British-made military components and equipment exported to Israel. [13668]

Mr. Bradshaw: We are keeping the situation under close review. We have no evidence that equipment manufactured in the UK and licensed for export by this Government has been used by Israeli forces against civilians in the occupied territories during the recent and continuing violence. We would be concerned if such evidence came to light.

We use information supplied by a number of sources to check that British equipment is not being used against Palestinians in the occupied territories, including information gathered by our embassy and non- Governmental organisations, among others. We have received an assurance from the Israeli Government that no UK manufactured equipment or components are used against Palestinian civilians in the occupied territories.

---