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Fair Trade

Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what is the value of fairly traded (a) tea and (b) coffee used in his Department in each of the last five years; [17560]

(2) what fairly traded products, other than tea and coffee, have been purchased by his Department in each of the last five years; and what was their value. [17561]

Mr. MacShane: We do not keep records of purchases that fall into the fair trade category. Much of the tea and coffee consumed in the Department is purchased by individuals for their own consumption.

Renunciation Certificates (British Citizenship)

Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received on the service provided by the High Commission in Harare to those seeking certificates of renunciation of British citizenship. [20179]

Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 3 December 2001]: The British High Commission in Harare has received three representations on renunciation—two from individuals, and one in the form of a petition signed by a number of individuals. It has also received thousands of inquiries—by telephone, fax, letter and personal call—about the procedure for renunciation.

The British High Commission in Harare has widely publicised the procedures for renunciation, through the Zimbabwean press, its website, through the Consular Section and in briefings. The FCO has set up a procedure with the Home Office to enable dual nationals for the UK and Zimbabwe to speedily divest themselves of British citizenship in order to comply with the 6 January 2002 deadline set by the Zimbabwean Government in the recent amendments to Zimbabwean nationality law. This means that certificates of renunciation can now be issued within 10 working days.

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ABM Treaty

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his policy on the ABM Treaty. [20507]

Mr. Bradshaw: The future of the anti-ballistic missile treaty is first and foremost a matter for the US and Russia as parties to the treaty. We welcome the US and Russian commitment to ongoing discussions on strategic issues, including both offensive and defensive systems. We are encouraged by this, and their declared mutual intention to make real reductions in nuclear forces, confirmed by President Bush and President Putin at their recent meeting in the US.

Mr. Jeremy Parks

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government have made to the Colombian Government asking them (a) to bring to justice those involved in the death of Mr. Jeremy Parks and (b) to establish the facts behind his death. [20755]

Mr. Bradshaw: We are liaising closely with the judicial authorities in Colombia. The tragic death of Mr. Jeremy Parks is being investigated by the Technical Investigation Corps of the Fiscalia (The Prosecutor's Office), under the supervision of a magistrate. This is the normal procedure in cases of violent or unexpected death. The magistrate's report has not yet been finalised.

Terrorist Attacks (Israel)

Mr. Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of how many Israelis have been killed by terrorist attacks in the nine months from 7 March; and how many were killed in such attacks in the nine months preceding that date. [20767]

Mr. Bradshaw: Casualty figures can be unreliable. Deaths and injuries are sometimes included which are not necessarily the direct result of violence. Israeli Government figures show that approximately 65 Israelis were killed in the six months before 7 March, and 166 since that date.

Tracey Housel

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the State of Georgia, USA, regarding the proposed execution of Tracey Housel; and if he will make a statement. [20855]

Mr. Bradshaw: We have taken and will take all the steps we properly can to ensure that Mr. Housel, a dual US/British national on death row in Georgia, USA, is not executed. The FCO is in close contact with Mr. Housel's legal team and the Georgia authorities are aware of our opposition to the death penalty.

Mr. Housel's final appeal is due to be heard by the US Supreme Court early next year. International law prevents us intervening in the judicial procedures of another sovereign state. However, if the court rejects Mr. Housel's appeal, we will immediately urge the Georgian authorities to commute his sentence to a term of imprisonment.

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Gibraltar

Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has for Gibraltar to be (a) a constituency and (b) integrated into UK constituencies for the purposes of voting in the 2004 European parliamentary elections. [21763]

Peter Hain: We are committed to extending the European parliamentary franchise to Gibraltar in time for the 2004 European Parliament elections and we are seeking legislative time in order to introduce domestic legislation for this purpose. We have taken no decisions on the modalities.

Mr. Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what joint statements with the Spanish Government were made regarding the sovereignty of Gibraltar during the talks in Barcelona on 20 November. [21547R]

Syd Rapson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria he will use to assess success in talks with Spain over the future status of Gibraltar. [21663]

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further aspects of self-Government for Gibraltar have been discussed during talks with (a) Spain and (b) the Government of Gibraltar since the start of the Brussels Process. [21544]

Peter Hain: I refer my hon. Friends to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Knowsley, South (Mr. O'Hara) on 20 November 2001, Official Report, column 187W. A copy of the joint press communiqué issued by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs when they met under the Brussels Process in Barcelona on 20 November has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Mr. Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the action he has taken in respect of the resolution on Gibraltar passed at the European Council in Gothenburg. [21423R]

Peter Hain: The Gothenburg European Council conclusions state that

"The European Council recalled the importance of the Single Sky initiative and noted that contacts are under way between the relevant member states on the question of its territorial application. It hopes that these contacts will produce early agreement".

The UK Government came to such an agreement with Spain enabling the Commission to bring forward its proposals on 12 October.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Cheltenham (Mr. Jones) on 1 November 2001, Official Report, column 811W.

Mr. Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions were held with the Government of Gibraltar about the future status of Gibraltar before the date for the talks under the Brussels process was agreed. [21424R]

Peter Hain: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and I discussed the resumption of talks under the Brussels Process and

10 Dec 2001 : Column: 631W

issues concerning the future of Gibraltar with the Chief Minister of Gibraltar before the date for talks under the Brussels Process was agreed. In addition normal official contacts continued throughout this period.

Mr. Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the laws by which Gibraltar is a member of the European Union allow for its inhabitants to have access to health and education services in other European Union countries. [21418R]

Peter Hain: Yes.

Mr. Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what conditions Spain is attaching to removing Gibraltar's suspension from the EU (a) Single Sky Agreement and (b) Regulation on Aviation Security. [21420R]

Peter Hain: The terms of the clause which the Government have agreed with Spain should be inserted in the Single Sky and Aviation Security Regulations provided that the application of the measures to Gibraltar Airport will be suspended until the arrangements in the joint declaration made by the Foreign Ministers of Spain and the United Kingdom on 2 December 1987 have come into operation. Neither measure has yet been adopted by the Council and the European Parliament.

Mr. Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether the laws by which Gibraltar is a member of the European Union allow for the free movement of (a) goods and services and (b) people between Gibraltar and the rest of the European Union; [21419R]

(2) what changes will be required in the laws of Gibraltar for it to achieve full rights of membership of the European Union. [21421R]

Peter Hain: The EC Treaty applies to Gibraltar by virtue of Article 299(4) TEC. But certain provisions of the Treaty do not apply by virtue of the UK's Act of Accession.

Article 28 of the Act of Accession excludes Gibraltar from the Common Agriculture and Fisheries policies and provisions on VAT. Gibraltar is also excluded from the Common Commercial policy and the Community Customs Territory and, in consequence, Community rules on customs and free movement of goods do not apply to Gibraltar.

The Treaty would have to be amended in order to revoke the derogations specified above and apply the EU Treaties fully to Gibraltar. Legislative changes would also be needed to give effect to any new Treaty provisions in Gibraltar.

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects Spain to allow direct flights to Gibraltar from airports outside the UK to overfly its airspace. [21545R]

Peter Hain: We are not aware of any Spanish policy to refuse to allow civilian aircraft flying to Gibraltar from airports outside the UK to overfly Spanish airspace. As was made clear in the memorandum submitted to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 30 March 1999, in response to the Committee's Fourth Report, under Article 1 of the 1944 International Air Services Transit Agreement to which both Spain and the UK are party,

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aircraft of other contracting parties performing scheduled air services are granted the privilege of overflight. A right of overflight is accorded to aircraft performing non- scheduled (charter) services under Article 5 of the 1944 convention on International Civil Aviation to which both Spain and the UK are also party.

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether legislation giving the people of Gibraltar the right to vote in the 2004 European parliamentary elections will require the (a) unanimous approval and (b) approval of the other member states of the European Union. [21530]

Syd Rapson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if European legislation will be required to ensure that the people of Gibraltar have the right to vote in the 2004 European elections in addition to domestic legislation. [21662]

Peter Hain: We are committed to extending the EP franchise to Gibraltar in time for the 2004 European Parliament elections. The Government have now decided to seek legislative time in order to introduce domestic legislation for this purpose. The content of this legislation is a matter for the UK alone: it does not require the approval of other member states. There will be no additional EU legislation. Consultations are already underway between the Government and the Government of Gibraltar on the practical arrangements.

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when consultations will begin with the Government of Gibraltar to ensure that the people of Gibraltar have the right to vote in the 2004 European parliamentary elections. [21531]

Peter Hain: We have been in contact with the Government of Gibraltar and are seeking an early meeting to establish exactly what will be required, in terms of legislative and practical arrangements, to ensure that the European Parliamentary franchise is extended to Gibraltar in time for the 2004 elections.

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what jurisdiction the International Court of Justice has over the status of Gibraltar. [21747]

Peter Hain: Any dispute between the United Kingdom and Spain with regard to the status of Gibraltar can only be referred to the International Court of Justice with the agreement of both sides. Spain does not accept the compulsory jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice with regard to Gibraltar.

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek to amend the Brussels Process to allow the Government of Gibraltar a veto over changes in the status of Gibraltar. [21706]

Peter Hain: I refer the hon. Member to my statement in Westminster Hall on 7 November 2001, Official Report, columns 88–92WH. The Government will stand by the constitutional commitment to Gibraltar set out in the preamble to the Order in Council that established the 1969 Constitution. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State reiterated this in response to a question from the hon. Member for South Staffordshire (Sir P. Cormack) on 27 November 2001, Official Report, columns 822–23.

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Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if a date for further talks with Spain under the Brussels Process has been arranged; and if he will make a statement. [21707]

Peter Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for West Suffolk (Mr. Spring) on 5 December 2001, Official Report, column 312W.

Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last requested the Spanish Government to produce evidence of smuggling between Gibraltar and Spain; and what was the outcome of that request. [21434]

Peter Hain: We have repeatedly asked the Spanish Government to make available to us any current evidence that they have of cross-border smuggling. HMG with the Government of Gibraltar will investigate any such evidence.

Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes in the status of Gibraltar within the European Union are being considered [21435]

Peter Hain: Our objective is to build a secure, stable and prosperous future for Gibraltar, with greater self-government for the territory and better relations with Spain. If change in the status of Gibraltar within the EU could help advance these objectives, we are prepared to consider this.

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