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Public Inquiries
Mr. Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on using 0870 telephone numbers for inquiries by the public to the Department and its agencies. [66204]
Mr. MacShane: Once the integrated voice recognition system for consular travel advice is operational, it will be accessible via an 0870 number. Travel advice is also available on the FCO website.
Macedonia
Mr. Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the United Kingdom Government will ratify the Association and Stabilisation Agreement with the FYR of Macedonia. [67180]
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Mr. MacShane: The EU has made clear that further progress in Macedonia's relations with the European Union is closely tied to the implementation of the August 2001 Framework Agreement. We will continue to monitor progress, particularly during the forthcoming election period. If the conditions in Macedonia are right the UK hopes to ratify the Stabilisation and Association Agreement after the summer.
Refugees
Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's obligations pertaining to refugees under the 1951 Geneva Convention. [67126]
Mr. MacShane: As a State party to the 1951 Convention and its 1967 Protocol relating to Refugees, the UK has an obligation under international law to protect people fleeing persecution.
This is enshrined in Article 33(1) of the 1951 Convention relating to the status of refugees, which provides that
- "No contracting state shall expel or return ("refouler") a refugee in any manner whatsoever to the frontiers of territories where his life or freedom would be threatened on account of his race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion".
Ministerial Meetings
Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what he discussed at his recent meeting with South African Foreign Minister Zuma; and what the outcome was. [67130]
Mr. MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, met South African Foreign Minister, Zuma, on 20 June. They discussed a range of issues including Zimbabwe and the world summit on sustainable development (WSSD).
European Institution Costs
Mr. David Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the total cost is in the latest available year of the (a) European Union, (b) Council of Europe, (c) Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and (d) Western European Union, including their respective parliamentary assemblies; and how much the United Kingdom contributes to each. [67760]
Peter Hain: The adopted EU budget for 2002 totals euro 95,655 million (or £58.2 billion). The UK financing share, after abatement, is 13.51 per cent. (approximately £7.863 billion). The Council of Europe's budget for 2002 is £103 million, of which the UK contributes £15 million. The 2002 budget for the Organisation for Security and
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Cooperation in Europe is euro 177.5 million: the UK contribution (including staff costs etc.) amounts to some £22.6 million. The Western European Union's budget for 2002 totalled euro 16.8 million, of which the UK share was approximately euro 2.7 million.
European Arrest Warrant
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what powers the Government have to withhold their consent to decisions reached at the Council of Ministers; and if he will make a statement, with particular reference to the context of the European arrest warrant. [68331]
Peter Hain: The resolution of the House of Commons dated 17 November 1998 sets out the terms under which the Government may agree to legislative proposals in the Council of Ministers. The Government are required to withhold their consent to legislative proposals until parliamentary scrutiny has been completed. The resolution allows Ministers to give their agreement in certain limited circumstances before scrutiny has been completed.
In negotiations, the Government can withhold their consent to a proposal for legislative action by the Council of Ministers at any stage up to its formal adoption. However, opposing or abstaining on a proposal would not necessarily prevent the proposal being adopted if the voting was QMV.
On the question of the European arrest warrant, a general approach on the framework was agreed in December 2002. The framework decision was formally adopted at the Justice and Home Affairs Council in June 2002.
Gibraltar
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether an agreement has been reached to share sovereignty of Gibraltar with Spain. [68456R]
Peter Hain: I refer my hon. Friend to my statement in Westminster Hall on 18 June 2002, Official Report, column 38WH.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is his policy that any (a) agreement concerning the sovereignty of the military base in Gibraltar and (b) agreements on any aspect of the future status of Gibraltar will be put to the people of Gibraltar in the form of a referendum. [68309]
Peter Hain: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the hon. Member for North Dorset (Mr. Walter) on 16 April 2002, Official Report, column 451. As previously stated, the Government will continue to stand by their commitments to the people of Gibraltar as set out in the preamble to the Gibraltar constitution.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is his policy that the military base in Gibraltar will remain under sole British sovereignty under the terms of any agreement on the future status of Gibraltar. [68311]
Peter Hain: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the hon. Member for North Dorset (Mr. Walter) on 16 April 2002, Official Report, column 451.
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Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on which occasions since 1996, and how, the Government raised with the Government of Gibraltar matters of concern relating to pensions and related benefits. [67848]
Peter Hain: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 8 May 2002, Official Report, column 243W. I raised the matter again in a letter to the Chief Minister of Gibraltar on 16 May.
Cyprus
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role Lord Hannay performs in the present discussions taking place between the President of Cyprus and Mr. Denktash on Cyprus; and if he will make a statement. [68439]
Peter Hain: Lord Hannay was appointed as the special representative of the British Government in 1996 to give support and new impetus to UN efforts to find a Cyprus settlement; he has worked hard at this for more than six years and the Government are grateful for his efforts.
The current direct talks to find a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement are attended by the two leaders in Cyprus and the UN. We understand and support the request of the Secretary-General of the United Nations that the content of the talks should not be publicised.
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on a suitable settlement between the two communities in Cyprus. [68193]
Peter Hain: The Government are committed to seeing a major, sustained effort towards securing a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement in Cyprus and strongly support the direct talks in Cyprus between the two leaders which have been in progress since January under the auspices of the UN Secretary General's Good Offices Mission. Our aim is for a reunited Cyprus to accede to the EU.
It is for the two sides in Cyprus to agree the terms of a settlement.
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is the Government's policy that a settlement on the future of Cyprus should involve (a) the establishment of a new central state with a new flag, and (b) one Turkish state in the north and one Greek state in the south; if it is his policy to regard Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots as two peoples; if Lord Hannay's recent statements on the matter represent the Government's policy; and if he will make a statement. [68195]
Peter Hain: It is for the two sides in Cyprus to agree the terms of a settlement and it is thus for them to agree on such matters as the powers and attributes of the common state and the component states, as they are currently being labelled in the negotiations. However, it has been common ground, since as long ago as the negotiations in 1992, that the outcome of any successful negotiations would be a new Cyprus, with different institutions from those in the 1960 constitution. These 1992 negotiations envisaged a Cyprus composed of a Greek Cypriot Federated State and a Turkish Cypriot Federated State.
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I used the phrase "two peoples" when visiting the island of Cyprus in April 2002. Lord Hannay repeated this phrase in a recent interview in his capacity as the Government's Special Representative on Cyprus. I often refer to the Welsh and Scottish people. In no way am I suggesting that people cannot be Welsh, British and European at the same time.
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