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Middle East

Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received from hon. Members concerning the situation in the middle east. [51553]

Mr. Bradshaw: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I have received representations in recent weeks from many hon. Members on the situation in the middle east. 35 Members spoke in the debate on the middle east on 16 April alone. All expressed concern about the perilous situation in the region, and a desire to see a just and lasting political settlement between the parties.

Criminal Damage

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost has been of criminal damage to his Department's buildings in each of the last four years. [44845]

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Mr. MacShane: It is not possible to provide figures for the cost of criminal damage to FCO buildings in each of the last four years for the following reasons:

(a) Repairs to buildings following such incidents are funded from many different sources among them local budgets, command budgets, estates budgets and occasionally from Estate Strategy Unit's (SSU) budget. They would be in most cases identified as routine maintenance charges, rather than specifically connected to an incident of criminal damage in the accounts.

(b) Many posts do not report minor incidents of criminal damage, but simply get on with the job of repair required, funding them from their local budget. Centrally held records within SSU are, therefore, only indicative of reported incidents, and do not accurately reflect the true picture.

(c) Records of damage caused by criminal activity to HQ buildings in the UK are kept, but logged only as an incident in the normal incident logs. To identify the cost involved, after the fact, would involve trawling through all the incident logs, then checking jobs logged to the Facilities Management Helpdesk during the same period and finally comparing any related jobs with invoices, presented by the relevant service provider, from the same period. This is a highly labour intensive process, far in excess of the cost where it becomes disproportionate to the answer.

Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when consulate officials last met (a) Mr. Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and (b) members of his family; and if he will make a statement on recent developments in this case. [51795]

Mr. Bradshaw: We have sought information on Mr. Sheikh's detention, and are awaiting a response from the Pakistani authorities. If Mr. Sheikh is a dual UK/Pakistani national, the Pakistani authorities are not obliged to give us consular access or information. Mr. Sheikh's family have not made contact with our consular officials, although they are welcome to do so in either Pakistan or London.

The case is currently before a Pakistani court and is still sub judice.

Correspondence

Mr. Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 15 March from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Tanveer Bibi. [51791]

Mr. Bradshaw: I wrote to my right hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Gorton, on 16 April.

Ascension Island

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received about democratic rights for those living on Ascension Island; and if he will make a statement. [52059]

Mr. Bradshaw: A petition on taxation without representation was received by the FCO on 23 March. A response, indicating that there would be full consultation with the residents of Ascension Island over the form of democratic representation to be introduced, was sent by officials on 26 March.

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Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to introduce a democratically elected Government for those living on Ascension Island; and if he will make a statement. [52096]

Mr. Bradshaw: The Overseas Territories Constitutional Adviser visited Ascension in October last year. A summary of his recommendations appeared in the island's newspaper on 7 March. A further consultation document was issued by the Governor at a public meeting on 10 April. This outlined two options: a county/district model of government, or an Advisory Island Council with provision for regular consultation with St. Helena representatives on areas of mutual interest. We hope that a decision on the form of democratic representation, based on the preferred choice of the residents of Ascension Island, will be taken shortly.

Gibraltar

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what account he will take of British public opinion before reaching decisions on the future of Gibraltar. [52151]

Peter Hain: As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said in the House on 18 March 2002, Official Report, column 29, it is manifestly in the interests of the people of Britain, Spain and Gibraltar to find a proper modus vivendi for the future. We have repeatedly made clear that it would be for the people of Gibraltar to decide in a referendum whether any proposals that emerge from the current Brussels Process talks should be implemented.

Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the heads of agreement reached between the UK and Spain on the issue of Gibraltar. [52594]

Peter Hain: No agreement has been reached with Spain. Talks under the Brussels Process are continuing. Our aim remains, if possible, to reach agreement by the summer. As I said in the House on 16 April 2002, Official Report, column 452, over the past months, the Government have kept Parliament fully informed. We will continue to do so.

Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on (a) the terms of reference and (b) the outcome of the meeting which took place on 23 April in Madrid between the Foreign Secretary, the Minister for Europe and representatives of the Spanish Government regarding the future status of Gibraltar. [53123]

Peter Hain [holding answer 29 April 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Battle) on 24 April 2002, Official Report, columns 294–95W, regarding the Euro- Mediterranean Ministerial meeting held in Valencia on 22 and 23 April.

Mrs. Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will visit Gibraltar; and if he will make a statement. [54008]

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he or his Ministers will next meet the Spanish Foreign Minister to discuss Gibraltar. [53239]

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Mr. Straw: I will visit Gibraltar on 3 May. Talks with the Spanish Government under the Brussels Process are continuing. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Europe will be meeting his Spanish counterpart in London on 2 May.

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) when he or his Ministers last met the Spanish Foreign Minister and his Ministers to discuss Gibraltar; where this meeting took place; how much advance notice was given of it; what was discussed; and what conclusions were reached; [53241]

(2) whether he estimates that he and his Spanish counterpart will meet their target of concluding a comprehensive agreement before the summer, as stated in paragraph 56 of the Barcelona Conclusions, in relation to shared sovereignty with Spain over Gibraltar. [53240]

Mr. Straw: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Minister for Europe gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Battle) on 24 April 2002, Official Report, column 295–96W.

Colombia

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funding the UK (a) bilaterally and (b) through the European Union, (i) has contributed in the last five years and (ii) plans to contribute to (A) Plan Colombia and (B) the Andean Regional Initiative. [53674]

Mr. MacShane: The UK has not contributed to either Plan Colombia or the Andean Regional Initiative, either bilaterally or through the European Union. There are no plans to do so.

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what training the UK has (a) provided in the last five years and (b) plans to provide for Colombia's (i) customs officers, (ii) anti- narcotics police and (iii) other law enforcement personnel; and if he will make a statement. [53673]

Mr. MacShane: Colombia remains the world's principal source of cocaine. Its Government is committed to tackling the illicit drugs trade and the problems of crime and violence with which it is linked. We support the Colombian Government's commitment to tackling these areas and continue to provide assistance where we can.

The British Government has provided a range of training to the Colombian Anti-Narcotics police, the Colombian Customs Department as well as other law enforcement personnel over the last five years. We have also provided funding for a Colombian NGO to train the police in areas such as community relations, conflict resolution and peace strategies.

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