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Chechnya

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations have been made to the Government of Russia concerning the abuses of human rights in Chechnya; and if he will make a statement. [48613]

Mr. Bradshaw: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary last raised the human rights situation in Chechnya with Foreign Minister Ivanov in March 2002, during the latter's visit to the UK. He also discussed Chechnya with the Russian Defence Minister in December 2001.

Ilois People

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to receive the constitutional report on the return of the Ilois people to the Chagos Islands. [48617]

Mr. Bradshaw: There is no constitutional report on the return of the Ilois to the Chagos Islands. The results of Phase 2B of the feasibility studies, which will provide detailed assessments of groundwater, soils, fisheries resources and the marine and terrestrial environment, are expected to be available by mid 2002.

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to introduce an order to put into effect the provisions of the British Overseas Territories Act 2002 in respect of the Ilois people. [48616]

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Mr. Bradshaw: I refer my hon. Friend to the statement that I gave in the House on 13 February during the debate on the Remaining Stages of the Overseas Territories Bill. As stated then, the Nationality Provisions of this Act will become law for the people of all British Overseas Territories, except Cyprus SBAs, on a date of commencement decided by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. This date will be no later than 21 May 2002.

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans have been made for the Ilois people to visit the Chagos Islands. [48615]

Mr. Bradshaw: We have given an undertaking to consider, without commitment, facilitating a visit to some outer islands of the territory. We are making inquiries about the practicalities of this with a private shipping company.

India

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the India-UK Round Table's contribution to furthering the countries' partnership in education and science and technology. [46302]

Mr. Bradshaw: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Stockton, South (Ms Taylor) on 12 March 2002, Official Report, column 865W.

Sudan

Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings Ministers in his Department held during March with representatives of the Government of the Sudan. [48017]

Mr. MacShane: My noble Friend Baroness Amos, Minister responsible for Africa, held a meeting with the Sudanese Ambassador on 11 March, during which she raised our concern about bombing of civilian targets. The UK Special Representative, Alan Goulty, represented Ministers during his trip to the Sudan, Kenya and Kampala, from 17 to 21 March. Mr. Goulty held substantive discussions about the peace process with a range of representatives of the Sudanese Government, including President Bashir.

Afghanistan

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the number of (a) girls and (b) boys who entered primary school in Afghanistan at the start of the new school year on 22 March. [47703]

Mr. Bradshaw: UNICEF estimate approximately 1.8 million children to have attended primary schools across Afghanistan on 23 March—the first day of the new school year. Statistics are not yet available on the breakdown of boys and girls who attended. The Afghan Interim Administration, with assistance from UNICEF and other agencies, are actively collating this information.

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Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure widows in Afghanistan have equal rights to participate in the Loya Jirga being convened in Afghanistan under the auspices of the UN. [47695]

Mr. Bradshaw: We will continue to urge the Special Commission for Convening the Loya Jirga to ensure that women, including widows, are able to participate in the Emergency Loya Jirga process.

On 31 March, the Special Commission for Convening the Emergency Loya Jirga announced the procedures and criteria for selection of delegates for the Emergency Loya Jirga. These include a quota of 165 seats reserved for women. In addition to these reserved seats, women will also be entitled to stand in the regional ballot, to contest the seats reserved for refugees, nomads, business people, intellectuals, religious scholars and minorities.

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many women participants in the Loya Jirga will be accommodated. [47698]

Mr. Bradshaw: On 31 March, the Special Commission for Convening the Emergency Loya Jirga announced the procedures and criteria for selection of delegates for the Emergency Loya Jirga. These include a quota of 165 seats reserved for women. In addition to these reserved seats, women will also be entitled to stand in the regional ballot to contest the seats reserved for refugees, nomads, business people, intellectuals, religious scholars and minorities.

The Special Commission are working with the UN on the logistical arrangements for the Emergency Loya Jirga. We will continue to urge them to ensure that adequate arrangements are in place for the provision of accommodation for all delegates from outside Kabul, including women.

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will support the call from Afghanistan's Minister for Women's Affairs for 25 per cent. female representation on the Loya Jirga being organised under the auspices of the UN. [47701]

Mr. Bradshaw: We hope that the views of women will be well represented at the Emergency Loya Jirga.

We welcome the announcement by the Special Commission for Convening the Emergency Loya Jirga on 31 March on the procedures and criteria for the selection of delegates for the Emergency Loya Jirga (ELJ). These include a quota of 165 seats reserved for women. This represents approximately 11 per cent. of the total delegate in the ELJ. This is the highest proportion of women included in any Loya Jirga in Afghan history, and as such is an important first step to ensuring that the views of women will be represented. However, in addition to these reserved seats, women will also be entitled to stand in the regional ballot and to contest the seats reserved for refugees, nomads, business people, intellectuals, religious scholars and minorities.

We will continue to urge the Special Commission for Convening the Emergency Loya Jirga actively to encourage more Afghan women to participate in the political process.

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Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what provisions will be made to enable women to travel in safety to the Loya Jirga in Afghanistan. [47704]

Mr. Bradshaw: The security arrangements for the Emergency Loya Jirga are currently under consideration by the Special Commission for Convening the Emergency Loya Jirga and the UN. We shall continue to encourage them to enable all participants, including women, to travel in safety to the Emergency Loya Jirga.

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Afghans will need an identity card to participate in the Loya Jirga. [47705]

Mr. Bradshaw: On 31 March the Special Commission for the Convening of the Emergency Loya Jirga announced the procedures and criteria for the selection of delegates for the Emergency Loya Jirga. These did not include reference to an ID card.

Mr. Ian Stillman

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he has taken in respect of the case of Mr. Ian Stillman following his imprisonment in India. [48163]

Mr. Bradshaw: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary raised our concerns about Mr. Stillman's welfare, and our hope that his appeal to the High Court would be heard swiftly, with the Indian High Commissioner and Prime Minister Vajpayee's Principal Secretary, Brajesh Mishra, on 26 June 2001. The Foreign Secretary wrote to the High Commissioner on 28 June 2001 highlighting our concerns. He also raised Mr. Stillman's case with the Indian Home Minister, L. K. Advani, on 23 July 2001 and 27 February 2002. On the latter occasion he asked that Mr. Stillman's forthcoming appeal to the Supreme Court be heard as quickly as possible.

In addition, the Deputy Prime Minister raised Mr. Stillman's case with the Indian Foreign Minister, Jaswant Singh, and Mr. Mishra on 4 July 2001. I raised it with the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs, Omar Abdullah, on 18 February 2002.

Our High Commission in New Delhi continues to do all it can to ensure that the Indian authorities are meeting Mr. Stillman's welfare requirements.

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the planned visit of 19 March by consular staff in India to Mr. Ian Stillman took place; and if he will make a statement. [46552]

Mr. Bradshaw: Consular staff were unable to visit Ian Stillman on 19 March 2002 but saw him on 21 March 2002 at a hospital in Chandigarh where he was receiving a medical check-up by doctors. Two consular officials spent just under two hours with Mr. Stillman and his son.

Mr. Stillman discussed with consular staff certain issues relating to his medical condition and asked whether they would raise these with the Superintendent of Kanda Prison. This was done on 22 March. The Superintendent agreed to all of Mr. Stillman's requests.

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Our High Commission in New Delhi will continue to do all it can to ensure that the Indian authorities are meeting Mr. Stillman's welfare requirements.

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