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Buildings Insurance
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost of buildings insurance to his Department was (a) before and (b) after 11 September 2001. [66926]
Mr. MacShane: The Government's general policy on insurance, set out in Government Accounting, Chapter 30, notes that Government only needs to purchase insurance to protect the viability of its business, where the value of claims met would exceed the cost of insurance premiums. Commercial insurance of a building is acceptable in cases where (a) insurance is a condition of a lease; (b) the lessor will not accept a Government indemnity; (c) incurring the total cost of the accommodation in question, including the cost of the insurance, is more cost-effective than other accommodation options.
Peacekeeping Forces
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment has been made of the impact on British peacekeeping forces (a) in Bosnia, (b) in other regions in the world and (c) not yet deployed of the refusal by the US to extend its Bosnia mission by six months; and if he will make a statement. [66820]
Mr. MacShane: On 30 June the US vetoed the UNSC resolution renewing the UNMIBH/SFOR mandate for Bosnia. An extension was agreed until 3 July to allow more time to seek a solution. It did not prove possible by this deadline to find a solution acceptable to Security Council Members. The Council therefore decided to extend the mandate until 15 July, to allow for further efforts to resolve the issue.
The practical effect of this is that the UN police operation in Bosnia may continue for the time being. The basic operational capability of the SFOR peacekeeping mission is not affected. The legal base for this operation
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is also the Dayton peace agreement and the consent of the Bosnian parties. The US have made clear that they intend to maintain their contribution to SFOR.
Nepal
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will break down the £30 million package for the Nepalese Government according to (a) development aid and (b) military assistance. [67038]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The UK has a substantial bilateral development programme in Nepal through DFID. The programme for this financial year amounts to £22 million. Of this, approximately £4 million will be spent on support for rural livelihoods, £5 million on enhancing rural infrastructure, £5 million on health programmes and £8 million on Government reform.
We have also approved a further package of measures totalling approximately £6.5 million to be run jointly by FCO, DFID and MOD. These projects will assist in the development and implementation of aid projects in Nepal and reinforcing their military and police capacity.
In particular, this package will fund the creation of a Civil Society Joint Forum, support for a rural development programme, a programme to promote and monitor human rights, peace support and separate human rights training to the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) and the provision of low-level logistical communications and transport equipment. The package will also cover the costs of infrastructure support to the UN Peacekeeping Centre in Panchkal.
Zimbabwe
Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to assist the enforcement of the Southern African Development Communities Programme for free and fair elections in Zimbabwe; if he will hold discussions on this issue; and if he will make a statement. [67122]
Mr. MacShane: There is no Southern African Development Community Programme for free and fair elections in Zimbabwe. However, the SADC parliamentary forum has published electoral norms and standards. These formed the basis by which the EU judged the presidential election in Zimbabwe on 9–11 March.
Our policy towards Zimbabwe is to work with concerned members of the international community, including SADC, to promote democracy, good governance, respect for human rights and the rule of law.
Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had on an unconditional asset freeze and travel ban on ZANU-PF members, unqualified by international treaty obligations. [67120]
Mr. MacShane: My right hon. Friend, the Foreign Secretary had discussions with EU colleagues resulting in a travel ban and asset freeze on key ZANU-PF leaders, but has not held subsequent discussions on an unconditional asset freeze and travel ban on ZANU-PF members unqualified by international treaty obligations.
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My right hon. Friend, the Foreign Secretary continues to discuss with EU partners how to ensure maximum coercive pressure is placed on Mr. Mugabe and his allies.
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 29 May from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Keith Marks. [67865]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary replied to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on 8 July.
Secondments
Phil Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will review the Civil Service Commissioners Recruitment Code in order to allow self-employed people to be considered for secondment positions at his office. [67735]
Mr. MacShane: Review of the Civil Service Commissioners' Recruitment Code is the sole responsibility of the Civil Service Commissioners.
I shall raise this matter with them and write to my hon. Friend in due course.
Weapons (Outer Space)
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's position on recent proposals by China and Russia to the conference on disarmament for the control of weapons in outer space. [68188]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The UK recognises the importance China and Russia attach to international consideration of proposals for further controls on weapons in space. We have signed and ratified the outer space treaty and other treaties that place important limits on military activity in space, including a prohibition on the deployment of weapons of mass destruction. Space-based assets play a prominent role in security and military operations. While we do not wish to see a general ban on the military use of outer space, we would be ready to engage in further discussions of issues relating to the prevention of an arms race in outer space at the conference on disarmament.
Future of Europe
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost to date has been of the national debate on the future of Europe broken down by type of expenditure. [68339]
Peter Hain: The debate on the future of Europe is just one part of the Government's wider commitment to making the European Union better understood by the British public. The budget for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's EU public diplomacy programme in 2002–03 is £260,000.
Gibraltar
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what end date has been set with Spain for the conclusion of talks on the future status of Gibraltar. [68454R]
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Peter Hain: I refer my hon. Friend to my statement in Westminster Hall on 18 June 2002, Official Report, column 38WH.
Democratic Republic of Congo
Mr. Joyce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received in respect of abuses of human rights against the Banyamulenge population in the towns of Uvira and Bukauu in the Democratic Republic of Congo. [68447]
Greece
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role police forces from the United Kingdom are playing in the hunt for members of the November 17 terrorist group in Greece; and if he will make a statement. [68207]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: A team of Metropolitan police officers travelled to Athens at the invitation of the Greek Government on 8 June 2000, the day the British Defence Attache, Stephen Saunders, was murdered by N17. British police officers have remained in Athens since that date, working closely with the Greek police on their investigation into Brigadier Saunders' assassination and providing advice and training for their Greek counterparts.
Following an explosion in Piraeus on 29 June and the subsequent detention of an N17 suspect, an additional team of Metropolitan police officers flew to Athens on 30 June and have remained there to assist the Greeks with their investigation.
The Government remain committed to bringing Brigadier Saunders' murderers to justice, and more widely to helping Greece fight the terrorism menace of N17. The Metropolitan police team will remain in Athens as long as its presence there is useful.
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