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Gibraltar

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what powers the Gibraltar Government has to (a) regulate financial services, with specific reference to pensions and (b) initiate referenda. [86850]

Mr. MacShane: In relation to financial services, the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission, established by the Financial Services Commission Ordinance of 1989, is charged with the responsibility of supervising institutions carrying out financial business in or from within Gibraltar. The Commission is appointed by the Governor with the approval of my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary.

Providing the Government of Gibraltar is acting consistent with the Gibraltar Constitution, they are able to initiate local referenda if they so choose. We have made clear that Her Majesty's Government would, in consultation with the Government of Gibraltar, expect to oversee any referendum on a change in sovereignty, since any such change could trigger primary legislation in the UK.

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those responsibilities of HM Government and the Crown to Gibraltar which are not devolved to the Gibraltar Government. [86852]

Mr. MacShane: The Despatch to the Gibraltar Constitution Order of May 1969, a copy of which is in the Library of the House, sets out responsibilities which are devolved to the Government of Gibraltar.

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which EC laws and regulations, other than those excluded by the 1972 Act of Accession, do not apply to Gibraltar. [87038]

Mr. MacShane: Other than those areas of Community policy from which Gibraltar is excluded by virtue of the UK's Act of Accession, EMU does not apply, since the UK is not a member. Gibraltar airport is suspended from the scope of the following measures:










Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on pension regulation in Gibraltar. [86851]

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Mr. MacShane: The Gibraltar Commissioner for Income Tax is responsible for the regulation of pension schemes. The Financial Services Commission supervises businesses carrying out investment and asset management and administration.

Indonesia

Mr. Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Government of Indonesia regarding (a) the imprisonment of Lesley McCulloch and (b) human rights in Aceh province. [87430]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: We have raised Lesley McCulloch's case on a number of occasions and at a high level with the Indonesian authorities; most recently on 2 December when my noble Friend the Baroness Amos raised concerns about the delay in the court proceedings with the Indonesian Charge d'Afaires in London.

We welcome the recent signing of a peace agreement between the Government of Indonesia and Free Aceh Movement (GAM) on 9 December. We urge both sides to implement all terms of the agreement and hope this will lead to a lasting peace in Aceh. Separately, we continue to raise the issue of human rights with the Indonesian Government particularly the accountability of security forces for committing human rights abuses.

Iraq

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who made the decision that the United States should be (a) in charge of the translation and distribution of and (b) given permission to edit the Iraqi dossier to the United Nations of its weapons of mass destruction capacity. [87414]

Mr. MacShane: The President of the UN Security Council decided that the Iraqi Declaration should first be given to members of the Security Council with the expertise to assess the risks of proliferation: China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. His decision followed consultations with all other members of the Security Council.

It is open to these five states to pass on any concerns they have about the risks of proliferation to UNMOVIC and the IAEA. But UNMOVIC and the IAEA alone will judge what material needs to be excised before it distributes the Declaration.

UNMOVIC will distribute the version of the Declaration that will be given to all members of Security Council. And UNMOVIC, not the United States, is in charge of translation of the Declaration.

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which countries will receive an unedited version of the Iraqi dossier of its weapons of mass destruction. [87415]

Mr. MacShane: As states with the expertise to assess the risks of proliferation, China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States have received unedited versions of the Iraqi Declaration. UNMOVIC and the IAEA will decide

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what, if any, parts of the Declaration need to be excised before it distributes the report to all members of the UN Security Council.

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the names of the United Kingdom-based and registered companies named as suppliers of equipment to Iraqi military industries, as listed in the Iraqi submission made to the United Nations Security Council on its military programmes; and if he will list the number of companies listed as suppliers to Iraq, broken down by country. [87497]

Mr. Mike O'Brien [holding answer 16 December 2002]: The task of analysing the Iraqi declaration is continuing. It would be premature to make any substantive comment on its contents at this stage.

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reason the non-permanent member states on the United Nations Security Council have not been provided with the full text of the Iraqi declaration on its programme of military equipment and infrastructure submitted pursuant to UNSC resolution 1441. [87582]

Mr. MacShane: The President of the UN Security Council decided that the Iraqi Declaration should first be given to members of the Security Council with the expertise to assess the risks of proliferation: China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. His decision followed consultations with all other members of the Security Council.

UNMOVIC and the IAEA will judge what material needs to be excised before it distributes the declaration to all Security Council members.

Ministerial Engagements

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many engagements were undertaken outside London (a) by him or his predecessor and (b) by Ministers in his Department in January (i) 2000, (ii) 2001 and (iii) 2002. [87355]

Mr. Straw [holding answer 16 December 2002]: The information is as follows:


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