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Drug Trade

35. Lawrie Quinn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made in the international fight against the drug trade. [39600]

Mr. MacShane: The international fight against the illicit drugs trade requires political commitment, and practical co-operation. We work bilaterally and multilaterally through the EU and the UN International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) in our efforts to combat the illegal drugs trade.

The FCO's Drugs and Crime Fund (£7.3 million in 2001–02, rising to £10 million in 2002–03), supports a broad range of project work overseas, including counter- drugs work and capacity-building for law enforcement in all of the key countries concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine to the UK and Europe. FCO-funded training for overseas law enforcement agencies and UK operational co-operation with them has led to some notable drug seizures, removing some of the heroin and cocaine consignments destined for the UK and Europe. We have just strengthened our financial commitment to the work of UNDCP with a further contribution of £2.34 million for counter-narcotics and capacity-building project work in Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, South-eastern Europe, Bolivia, Colombia, Peru and Ecuador.

Gibraltar

36. Mr. Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the Chief Minister of Gibraltar to discuss the future status of Gibraltar. [39601]

Peter Hain: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I met the Chief Minister of Gibraltar most recently on 25 January. We are in regular contact with the Chief Minister in writing and through the Governor of Gibraltar.

Mr. Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place a draft copy of the Anglo-Spanish Comprehensive Agreement over the future of Gibraltar before the House. [42692]

Peter Hain: We have kept the House fully informed at every stage of the Brussels Process, including in the Government Adjournment debate on 31 January, and we will continue to do so. Copies of the communiqués from the three Brussels Process Ministerials that have taken place since July 2001, have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Iran

37. Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on UK relations with Iran. [39602]

Mr. Bradshaw: The UK, through critical engagement, aims to support reform in Iran while maintaining a robust dialogue on issues of concern. These include Iranian support to terrorist groups in the context of the Israeli- Palestinian conflict, Iran's reported development of weapons of mass destruction and aspects of its human rights record.

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We hope to continue to engage Iran on a wide range of issues of common interest, including bilateral co-operation in the fight against drugs and international support for the Interim Administration and reconstruction in Afghanistan. However, Iran's rejection of David Reddaway as our ambassador has had an impact on the conduct of our bilateral relations.

Indonesia

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the progress the Indonesian Government have made towards reform of the security sector in Indonesia, with specific reference to the (a) accountability of the armed forces to the civilian authorities, (b) territorial structure of the armed forces, (c) accountability of security forces personnel for human rights violations and (d) business interests and non-budgetary funding of the armed forces. [40680]

Mr. Bradshaw: The Indonesian Government have made progress in the reform of the security sector since the democratic elections of 1999.

Civilian oversight of the armed forces has been put in place by the nomination of a civilian Defence Minister and the agreement to end military representation in the DPR (Parliament), by 2004 and the MPR, (Parliament, regional representatives and professional leaders) by 2009.

With the exception of the recent establishment of KODAM (the regional military command) in Aceh, there has been no significant changes in the structure of the military.

Accountability of the security forces for committing human rights abuses has increased by the establishment of ad hoc human rights courts.

The KPN (Supreme Audit Authority) are now starting to audit charitable foundations controlled by military.

There is now active debate in the Indonesian media and civil society about the need for security sector reform. We remain engaged through our Global Conflict Prevention Pool Security Sector Reform programme.

We also continue to apply pressure on the Government of Indonesia bilaterally and with our European partners, particularly on the issue of human rights.

Job Sharing

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the extent of job sharing in his Department. [41039]

Mr. Bradshaw: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable) on 11 March 2002, Official Report, column 687W.

Gender Pay Gap

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the extent of the gender pay gap among staff in his Department. [40995]

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Mr. Bradshaw: In response to the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) Task Force "Just Pay" report, the Government have committed Departments and agencies to review their pay systems by April 2003 and prepare action plans to close all equal pay gaps. The Cabinet Office issued comprehensive guidance in January 2002 to assist Departments and agencies in carrying out these reviews.

Shafiq Rasul

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his most recent assessment is of the health of Shafiq Rasul, at Camp X-Ray; and if he will make a statement. [40826]

Mr. Bradshaw: A team of British officials visited Guantanamo Bay between 26 February and 1 March. They met the British detainees separately, including Shafiq Rasul. All the detainees appeared to be in satisfactory physical health. Releasing further information about the condition of individual detainees would not be appropriate without their permission.

Madagascar

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent coup in Madagascar; what discussions he has had with (a) Government and (b) opposition on the prospect of another presidential poll in Madagascar; and what representations he has made to other Governments in the area on the situation in Madagascar. [41126]

Mr. MacShane: The UK, along with EU partners, the US, the Organisation of African Unity and the UN, continues to encourage the two parties, at both local and international level, to find a common solution to the impasse. Resident Ambassadors in Antananarivo, including the UK's, have been following developments closely, and maintain contact with representatives of both sides.

Medical Insurance

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received on the availability of insurance cover for medical treatment overseas for injuries received from terrorist activities. [41190]

Mr. Bradshaw: None.

Gujarat

Mr. Gareth R. Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with representatives of the Indian Government about the violence in Gujarat. [40969]

Mr. Bradshaw: Our High Commission in Delhi has been in contact with the Indian Home Affairs Ministry to seek their support in ensuring the protection and safety of British nationals. Our consular staff in Mumbai are in constant touch with the police and the local authorities. Following a meeting with representatives of Muslim organisations on 5 March, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary stated that he was "greatly concerned and saddened at the deaths in both communities in

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Gujarat, and hoped that calm would be restored as quickly as possible". He also said that he "appreciated the efforts of the Government of India to this end".

Union Duties

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he intends to answer the question of 13 February from the hon. Member for Buckingham regarding staff involvement in union duties. [41579]

Mr. Bradshaw: The hon. Member received an answer to his question on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 202W.

European Commission

Denzil Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is intended that votes taken at the proceedings of the European Commission should be recorded. [41646]

Peter Hain: We are not aware of any proposal to record the votes of the College of Commissioners. The treaty establishing the European Community states that the rules governing the internal procedure of the Commission are a matter for the Commission.

Denzil Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a verbatim report of the proceedings of the European Commission. [41645]

Peter Hain: The Commission does not publish verbatim reports of their meetings. But since 1 January 2002, the Commission publishes summary records of the meetings of the College on its website. These can be accessed at www.europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat—general/meeting/ archives—en.htm for a period of three months following the date of the proceedings.

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