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European Diplomatic Service
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on the setting up of a common European diplomatic service. [62319]
Mr. Straw: We believe that it is for EU member states to organise their respective diplomatic services at the national level. There are already 138 bilateral and five multilateral European Commission delegations overseas.
Tibet
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he made to Vice Premier Wen Jiabao and other Chinese leaders concerning the situation in Tibet during his recent visit to China; and what replies he received. [61767]
Mr. MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not visited China recently. He most recently raised Tibet with his Chinese counterpart Tang Jiaxuan in January this year.
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) discussions he had with and (b) representations he made to Li Ruihuan, Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, concerning the situation in Tibet, during Chairman Li's recent visit to the UK; and what response he received. [61768]
Mr. MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary did not meet Li Ruihuan during his recent visit to the UK. However, the Lord Chancellor raised a range of human rights issues, including Tibet during his meeting with Li Ruihuan last month. Li Ruihuan's response was along standard lines.
General Affairs Council
Mr. Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the outcome of the General Affairs Council meeting of 10 and 11 June was; what the Government's stance on the issues discussed, including its voting record was; and if he will make a statement. [62930]
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the conclusions of the General Affairs Council at Luxembourg on 10 June. [61876]
Peter Hain: I represented the UK at the General Affairs Council in Luxembourg on 10 June.
The Council welcomed progress made under the Spanish presidency, including on aspects of the agriculture chapter. The Council instructed experts to pursue work on the question of direct payment.
The Council reaffirmed the Union's commitment to an inclusive approach to enlargement. The Council reiterated its determination to bring the accession negotiations with the candidate countries that are ready to a successful conclusion by the end of 2002. In that context, it welcomed the Commission's proposals for strengthening the candidate countries' administrative capacity, and the provision of further special financial assistance from the
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PHARE programme. It called on the Commission to continue with regular monitoring of candidate countries' practical implementation of the Community acquis.
Additional customs duties on imports of certain US products
The Council gave unanimous support to the Commission's proposal for a regulation on additional custom duties for certain US products. This will be formally adopted at the 13 June JHA Council, entering into force by 18 June to meet the WTO deadline.
The Council expressed grave concern about the crisis between India and Pakistan. It called on Pakistan to take visible, decisive and verifiable steps to: seal the Line of Control; restrain, and stop supply of, militant groups in Kashmir; and close the training camps on Pakistan's side of the Line of Control. The Council called for diplomatic and military de-escalation, implementation of a ceasefire and the resumption of dialogue. The Council underlined the EU's commitment to help defuse the immediate crisis, and to support efforts to achieve a lasting resolution to the differences between India and Pakistan.
New Partnership for Africa's Development
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects the NEPAD initiative to be implemented. [62093]
Mr. MacShane: The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NePAD) is an African-led initiative which acknowledges that Africa's development requires long- term commitments. The pace of its development and implementation will be set by Africa's leaders.
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions his Department has had with Governments in Africa concerning the NEPAD initiative. [62092]
Mr. MacShane: My noble Friend Baroness Amos, the Prime Minister's personal representative to the G8 on Africa, has frequent discussions with African leaders concerning NePAD. For example, she had extensive discussions with members of the NePAD steering committee on 16–18 May in Maputo.
Zimbabwe
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which international organisations Zimbabweans subject to an EU travel ban are allowed to attend. [62318]
Mr. Straw: International treaty obligations oblige EU member states to grant exemptions to the travel ban for attendance at meetings of some international organisations, for example, the United Nations and Interpol. Restrictions remain on movement outside of meetings.
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he plans to take further measures against the Government of Zimbabwe following the re-election of President Mugabe. [62094]
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Mr. MacShane: Zimbabwe will be discussed today at the General Affairs Council. EU Foreign Ministers will review developments on the ground. Extending measures against Zimbabwe's ruling party remains under consideration.
SOLICITOR-GENERAL
Defence Lawyers
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Solicitor-General what obligation rests on a defence lawyer to (a) ascertain and (b) believe the truth of matter pleaded in defence. [55456]
The Solicitor-General [holding answer 14 May 2002]: These obligations are set out in the professional codes of conduct of the Bar Council and the Law Society.
Leila Khalid
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Solicitor-General what outstanding charges there are against Leila Khalid; and if he will make a statement. [59003]
The Solicitor-General [holding answer 24 May 2002]: No criminal charges were ever brought against Leila Khalid in this country; to the best of my knowledge there are no warrants or criminal proceedings in relation to Ms Khalid in this jurisdiction. Therefore none remain outstanding.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Solicitor-General if she will make a decision on the outstanding charges against Leila Khalid arising out of hijackings with a view to prosecution; and if she will make a statement. [59007]
The Solicitor-General [holding answer 24 May 2002]: No criminal charges were ever brought against Leila Khalid in this country, therefore none remain outstanding; to the best of my knowledge there are no warrants or criminal proceedings in relation to Ms Khalid in this jurisdiction. It follows that there is no decision to be made.
EDUCATION AND SKILLS
Teachers' Pay
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the (a) total teachers pay costs and (b) average teachers pay were in each LEA in 2001–02. [60238]
Mr. Miliband: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries.
Higher Education
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 3 December 2001, Official Report, column 68W, regarding unit spending per student, what the percentage change in unit of funding per student was in 2000–01; and what she expects it to be in 2001–02. [50428]
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Margaret Hodge: Between 1989 and 1997, planned public funding fell by 36 per cent. from just under £7,600 to just over £4,800 per full time equivalent student.
The Dearing report concluded that higher education institutions could not absorb further reductions of over 6 per cent. in the funding per student, which were in the plans of the previous Government.
Following the last spending review, the Government's spending plans for higher education have reversed the decline in funding over the last decade. Publicly planned funding for higher education announced in November 2000, did reflect a 0.4 per cent. decrease in funding per full time equivalent student in real terms in 2000–01, compared to the previous year. But for 2001–02, the unit of funding in real terms was planned to increase by 0.7 per cent. compared to 2000–01.
In addition to the funding for teaching and research the higher education sector received an additional £166 million in 1999–2000 and £242.5 million in 2000–01 for capital and to help widen access to higher education. It is planned that a further £359 million will be available in 2001–02.
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With this additional funding the unit of funding per student provided by this Department for 2001–02 in cash terms, will be £5,350.
The Government are investing, in partnership with the Welcome Trust, a total of £1.75 billion in science infrastructure between 1999–2000 to 2003–04.
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the courses of study in higher education institutions, broken down by the proportion of undergraduate students of each social class. [61305]
Margaret Hodge: The available information on the social class of undergraduate students in UK higher education institutions relates to accepted applicants to full-time and sandwich undergraduate courses via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) and not all undergraduate courses and students. The UCAS data can be broken down into broad subject categories and into First Degree or Higher National Diploma (HND) courses. The latest UCAS figures are shown in the table.
(1) Covers all UK higher education institutions and some specialist colleges of further education.
(2) Year of entry: 2001.
(3) The social class percentages are based on the number of accepted applicants for which social class is known.
(4) First degree or HND courses. HNDs are not offered in all subject areas.
(5) Including unknowns.
Source:
Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
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