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Sanctions Regimes
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Bill Rammell): Recent Changes to Sanctions Regimes Angola (UNITA) With the support of Her Majesty's Government, the UN Security Council on 18 October 2002 unanimously adopted UN Security Council resolution 1439(2002). The resolution lifted the travel ban on members of UNITA and their immediate families listed in paragraphs 4a and 4b of UN Security Council resolution 1127(1997) from 14 November 2002. The travel ban had been suspended since May, pursuant to UN Security Council resolutions 1412(2002) and 1432(2002).
Resolution 1439 (2002) also committed the Security Council to review all remaining measures imposed on UNITA by 19 November 2002. Following the review with the support of Her Majesty's Government, the Security Council voted unanimously to adopt United Nations Resolution 1448(2002) on 9 December 2002. This resolution lifted all remaining sanctions measures on Angola (UNITA). This is in recognition of the considerable progress made in Angola since the formal cessation of hostilities on 4 April 2002, and the broad fulfilment of the tenets of the Lusaka Peace Protocol by UNITA.
With the support of Her Majesty's Government, the Security Council voted unanimously to adopt resolution 1446(2002) on 4 December 2002. The resolution extended the embargo on the export of rough diamonds without a Certificate of Origin, controlled by the Government of Sierra Leone. This extension will allow the Government of Sierra Leone to extend and consolidate their authority over the diamond-mining fields in the country.
With the support of Her Majesty's Government, the General Affairs and External Relations Council of 22 October agreed Council Common Position 2002/829. The European Union introduced an embargo on the export of arms to Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) in 1993 pursuant to an EU declaration of 7 April 1993. The Common Position (2002/829) amends the scope of that arms embargo by providing that the arms embargo does not apply to temporary exports for personal use of United Nations personnel; and does not prohibit the export of non-lethal military equipment with a legitimate humanitarian use to representatives of the media and humanitarian and associated personnel, or equipment to be used for the clearance and destruction of anti-personnel landmines.
With the support of Her Majesty's Government, the General Affairs and External Relations Council of 22 October agreed Council Common Position 2002/831. The Common Position extends EU sanctions against Burma for a further six months. The Common Position and the accompanying Council Regulation also update
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the list of individuals subject to EU sanctions to take account of recent changes to the Burmese military regime.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Nuclear Legacy
The Minister for Energy and Construction (Mr. Brian Wilson): A summary of the responses has been published in line with the White Paper commitment to openness and transparency. Copies are available in the Library and on the DTI website at www.dti.gov.uk/energy/nuclear/index.shtml. The responses show strong support for the approach set out in the White Paper and, in particular for the Government's commitment to driving forward work on legacy clean up. As announced in the Queen's Speech, draft implementing legislation will be published in the Spring.
Small Business Support
The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (Ms Patricia Hewitt): The Small Business Service (SBS) is today publishing a new policy framework for small business entitled 'Small Business and Government—the Way Forward'. I am placing copies in the Libraries of both Houses.
The framework represents a focusing of the Government's small firms policy on seven core themes: building an enterprise culture; encouraging a more dynamic start-up market; building the capability for small business growth; improving access to finance for small businesses; encouraging more enterprise in disadvantaged communities and under represented groups; improving small businesses experience of Government services; and developing better regulation and policy. These will be built into seven national strategies to make a reality of the Government's vision for the small business sector. The Government wants more people to have the ambition of starting their own business, and for all those who take that step to have every chance of succeeding. Our aims are:
- Many more people, regardless of their background, having the desire, skills and opportunity to start a successful business;
Everyone with the ambition to grow their business being helped and supported;
A supportive business environment with all small businesses finding it easy to respond to Government and access its services.
The framework envisages a strong role for the SBS as a centre of expertise on small business issues based on its experience of delivering services to this particular community and its extensive research base and network of contacts. This expertise will be used by the whole of Government in developing policies and services which affect small businesses.
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The policy framework follows on from the joint Treasury and SBS paper, 'Enterprise Britain: a modern approach to meeting the Enterprise Challenge' published in November 2002.
ECGD Trading Fund
The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (Ms Patricia Hewitt): I informed the House on 22 July 2002, Official Report columns 779–780W, that Ministers had decided that ECGD should proceed to Trading Fund status. I also reported that I had asked ECGD to improve its customer care for new customers and make it easier for them to access its support.
I am pleased to be able to announce that work is well underway between ECGD and HM Treasury to agree the policy and objectives, financial and regulatory frameworks and operational details of a Trading Fund, with a view to an effective operational structure being put in place as soon as possible.
The aim is to complete this work by the summer recess, which will enable a consultation paper to be launched in September 2003 to ensure that the views of ECGD's customers and other stakeholders are fully taken into account. A pilot Trading Fund will also be launched in September, or as shortly thereafter as practicable, which will provide valuable operational experience which, together with responses to the consultation, will inform the final decisions on a statutory Trading Fund framework.
Subject to these decisions, it is planned to effect the formal establishment of the statutory Trading Fund by no later than April 2005.
ECGD established a dedicated New Customer Service Team in November. This is already providing a valuable point of contact between ECGD and exporters who had never previously used its services by helping them through the export finance process.
ECGD is committed to providing a first class service to UK exporters and investors. I want it to offer a service that puts it amongst the best export credit agencies in terms of innovation, flexibility and product quality. Proceeding to Trading Fund status should provide a robust platform for ECGD to achieve both its business and financial objectives and secure its future as an important provider of support for UK exporters and investors.
British Electricity Trading and Transmission Arrangements
The Minister for Energy and Construction (Mr. Brian Wilson): Licensing of the GB system operator cannot take place until the necessary legislation has received Royal Assent. I am minded to accept the recommendation of the GB system operator Selection Panel, that The National Grid Company plc's application for the role of GB system operator should be accepted.
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DEFENCE
Missile Defence
The Secretary of State for Defence (Mr. Geoffrey Hoon): I have today received a letter from United States Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, requesting UK agreement to upgrade the Early Warning Radar at RAF Fylingdales for missile defence purposes.
As set out in the discussion paper published on 9 December, the Government believes that the developing ballistic missile threat is one that we must take very seriously. We assess that at present there is no immediate significant threat to the territory of the UK from ballistic missiles. However, intentions can change quickly, and the proliferation and development of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles is continuing. We could not wait until a specific threat became clear before determining how to defend against it.
The US is looking to work closely with friends and allies in developing defences which enhance global security in the face of this potential threat. As well as improving US defence, an upgraded Fylingdales radar would be a key building block in the extension of missile defence to Europe, should we and other European Allies so desire. In this context, Mr Rumsfeld's letter contains the undertaking that, if Fylingdales were to be upgraded, and should we desire it, then the US would be prepared to extend missile defence coverage and make missile defence capabilities available to the UK as the evolution of the US system permits, subject to agreement on appropriate political and financial arrangements.
RAF Fylingdales has operated since 1963 as one of several sites which provide early warning of ballistic missile launches against this country, Western Europe or the United States. The station is under UK operational command, and the data it produces is shared between the UK and US military authorities. The upgrade requested would enable the system to track ballistic missiles more accurately, so that they could be engaged by interceptors, in addition to the radar's existing role. I understand that a parallel request has been made to the Danish Government for upgrade of the radar at Thule, Greenland.
The US propose no change to existing arrangements for data-sharing and operational command at Fylingdales, maintaining the long-established principle of joint decision-making relating to the use of US strategic assets based in the UK. It is expected that the work would involve installation of new computers and software, and an additional communications link. No material environmental impact would be expected, but this will need to be confirmed in further discussions with the US and local planning authorities. The US would hope to start work later next year, and will accordingly make contingency provision in their defence budget.
Mr Rumsfeld's letter also proposes the early conclusion of a new bilateral Research, Development, Test and Evaluation Memorandum of Understanding, to ensure that the UK, both government and industry, have the fullest possible insight into, and opportunity for involvement in, the missile defence programme. I
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believe this represents an important industrial and technological opportunity for the UK regardless of our response to the US request.
The decision on Fylingdales upgrade will be an important one, and the Government is keen for it to be informed by public and Parliamentary discussion. We shall ensure that this House has appropriate opportunities to discuss the issues in the New Year.
The Government will now consider the US request very seriously, agreeing to it only if we are satisfied that it will ultimately enhance the security of the UK and the NATO Alliance. I will make a further statement in due course.
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