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EU Committees
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the United Kingdom's representation on the European Union's Economic and Social Committee. [73497]
Peter Hain: The Government has submitted to the Council Secretariat details of the United Kingdom's twenty-four nominees for membership of the Economic and Social Committee, along with twenty-four reserve nominees.
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European Bodies
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the proposed percentage increase in staff following the forthcoming enlargement to the (a) Commission, (b) Council of Ministers, (c) Court of Justice and (d) European Parliament in relation to the percentage of the population of the respective applicant counties; and if he will make a statement. [72232]
Peter Hain: The Government accept that enlargement requires additional staff in the EU institutions, and will continue to scrutinise proposals from the institutions closely.
The Government reiterate the importance of keeping to the financial agreement reached at Berlin as well as to the timetable for enlargement agreed at Gothenburg and Laeken. The UK will work to ensure the necessary human resources are made available to make enlargement a success—but believe this is achievable within the agreed budgetary ceilings. The Government note the proposal for a Standing Committee debate as proposed by the European Scrutiny Committee.
Enron
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make
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a statement on the reviews by the Turks and Caicos Islands and Cayman Islands of Enron-related offshore companies. [71711]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The United Kingdom's overseas territories are expected to co-operate internationally and regulate their financial services sector in line with international standards. The Cayman Islands Monetary Authority and the Turks and Caicos Islands Financial Services Commission respectively are responsible for the regulation of the financial sector in the Cayman Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands, including licensed company service providers who are responsible for ensuring that non-resident companies comply with the laws and regulations of the territories concerned. The regulatory and criminal investigation authorities in both territories are actively assisting the Securities and Exchange Commission and other relevant authorities in the United States, where the investigation into the Enron case is currently focused. In the event that regulatory or criminal offences involving Enron subsidiaries were to be discovered in either jurisdiction, it would be for the legal and regulatory authorities in the Cayman Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands, in co-operation with the US and other authorities, to consider appropriate action to enforce the law.
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United States (Terrorism)
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of the United States of America concerning the US Justice Department's planned terrorism information and prevention system; and if he will make a statement. [71035]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: We are monitoring the developments in the USA although we have had no formal discussions on this issue at this point. The Terrorism and Prevention System is a US Department of Justice proposal to develop a reliable and comprehensive national system for reporting suspicious and potentially terrorist-related activity. The system is to be developed in conjunction with federal agencies and industry.
Weapons of Mass Destruction
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how he plans to hold to account countries that have reneged on their ratification of global treaties on the spread of weapons of mass destruction. [71940]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: When a country ratifies an international treaty, it places itself under the obligations of that treaty once it is in force. The global treaties dealing with weapons of mass destruction, such as the existing chemical weapons convention and the treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, have mechanisms aimed at ensuring compliance with their provisions. While the biological and toxin weapons convention has no comparable mechanisms, procedures exist for clarifying concerns.
The UK routinely monitors the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and is a strong supporter of the effective functioning of treaty compliance mechanisms. We also work with the OPCW and IAEA to ensure that the verification and inspection mechanisms are as effective as possible. Other methods may also be employed as appropriate, including bilateral discussions. We have to be ready to make full use of all instruments to deter and uncover those who do not comply with their international obligations.
Arms Exports
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 12 July 2002, Official Report, column 1256W, on arms exports, to which EU countries representations were made by the UK Government about the new criteria; what representations were made by the UK Government about the EU consolidated criteria on arms exports; what representations have been made to the UK Government by the EU member states about the introduction of the new criteria; and when these representations were made. [71361]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave her on 12 July 2002, Official Report, column 1256W, in which I said HMG conducted two rounds of consultations with other EU member states to find out their approach to export license applications for goods to be incorporated into products for onward export. All EU member states have been approached at least once over the last two months. Some were approached a second
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time in order to clarify the information they provided. The application to such cases of the EU Code of Conduct on arms exports was covered in these discussions.
No representations have been made to HMG by EU member states about my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's reply on 8 July 2002 to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Sherwood (Paddy Tipping), Official Report, columns 650–52W.
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