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Statutory Instruments

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many statutory instruments were issued by MAFF in each calendar year from 1979 to 2001; and how many have been issued by her Department since June 2001. [89837]

Alun Michael: The number of Statutory Instruments issued by MAFF in each calendar year from 1979 June 2001 is as follows:

	Number
1979	95
1980	128
1981	110
1982	119
1983	108
1984	82
1985	88
1986	102
1987	127
1988	96
1989	135
1990	158
1991	111
1992	145
1993	150
1994	115
1995	138
1996	162
1997	139
1998	130
1999	116
2000	127
2001(7)	—

⁽⁷⁾ To 7 June 297 (of which 259 related specifically to the Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak)

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Defra was created on 8 June 2001. The number of statutory instruments laid by Defra in 2001 was 219 of which 159 related specifically to the Foot and Mouth disease outbreak, and seven were on topics previously the responsibility of DETR.

The figure in 2002 was 127 of which 29 were on topics previously the responsibility of DETR and 6 related to the aftermath of the Foot and Mouth Disease.

Teleworking

Mr. Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the effects on the environment of the level of teleworking (a) now and (b) over the next five years. [91541]

Mr. Meacher: Any measure which reduces the need to travel and leads to reductions in emissions of local air pollutants and greenhouse gases would generally have a positive effect on the environment, but no quantification has been undertaken to measure this.

Thames (Dredging)

Mr. Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Environment Agency or other Government body last dredged the Thames in the Marlow and Medmenham area. [93210]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 27 January 2003]: The Environment Agency last dredged the River Thames in the Marlow and Medmenham area in 1995.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Chechnya

Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government has made to the Russian Government about renewal of the OSCE's mandate in Chechnya; and if he will make a statement. [93135]

Mr. Straw [holding answer 28 January 2003]: I discussed the issue with the Russian Foreign Minister on 27 December 2002, and sought an extension to the

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OSCE Assistance Group's existing mandate to allow further negotiations about the future of the mission's presence in Chechnya.

Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken by Her Majesty's Government to ensure that human rights monitors from the OSCE remain in Chechnya; and if he will make a statement. [93136]

Mr. Straw [holding answer 28 January 2003]: With our EU and international partners, we have repeatedly pressed the Russian Government to agree a new mandate for the OSCE Assistance Group in Chechnya, which includes the monitoring of the human rights and humanitarian situation as one of its key responsibilities.

Health and Safety Strategy

Mrs. Helen Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has collated on the application to his Department and its agencies of the checklist, circulated by letter by Sir Richard Mottram, referred to under Action Point 12 of the Revitalising Health and Safety strategy statement; and if he will make a statement. [89495]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office will be issuing a revised health and safety policy statement which outlines the responsibilities of all staff. This also gives clear guidance on how to access the arrangements to ensure the health and safety of staff, visitors and contractors and provides contact details of the health and safety advisers employed by the FCO. Staff are involved in health and safety issues through health and safety liaison officers and consultation with the Trade Unions.

The FCO's health and safety experts report quarterly to the Administration Board, chaired by the FCO's health and safety champion, on the incorporation of health and safety awareness in the Department's work. All new staff in London receive health and safety induction training. The health and safety team regularly review the training provision to ensure its suitability.

Iraq

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with EU partners in advance of the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 27 and 28 January on the subject of Iraq, with particular reference to the formulation of a common position; and if he will make a statement. [93625]

Mr. Straw [holding answer 28 January 2003]: I have had frequent discussions with my EU counterparts and other Foreign Minister colleagues on Iraq in the run-up and in the margins of the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 27–28 January; I shall continue these contacts.

EU Foreign Ministers were united on Iraq at the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 27 January. We reaffirmed our view that UN Security Council resolution 1441 represents a final opportunity for Iraq to resolve the crisis peacefully. We urged Iraq to engage in full and active co-operation with the weapons inspectors and provide them, without delay, with all

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additional and complete information on questions raised by the international community. The question of an EU Common Position did not arise.

The full conclusions of the Council on Iraq are as follows:

"The Council, deeply concerned about the situation in Iraq, reaffirms that its goal remains the effective and complete disarmament of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. The Council fully supports the efforts of the UN to ensure full and immediate compliance by Iraq with all relevant resolutions of the Security Council, in particular with UNSCR 1441 of 8 November 2002. The resolution gives an unambiguous message that the Iraqi government has a final opportunity to resolve the crisis peacefully.


The Council therefore urges the Iraqi authorities to engage in full and active co-operation with UNMOVIC and IAEA. The Iraqi authorities must, as an imperative, provide the inspectors, without delay, with all additional and complete information on questions raised by the international community. The Council expresses its appreciation for the work accomplished by the inspectors so far and reiterates its confidence and full support for Dr. Blix and Dr. El Baradei to complete their mission in accordance with UNSCR 1441. It welcomes their intention to continue and intensify their operations.


The Council recalls that it stands ready to engage all necessary efforts to answer the needs of UNMOVIC and IAEA in personnel and practical means.


The Council underlines the fundamental importance of preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in accordance with the relevant international instruments. The Security Council has a key role to play in these endeavours.


The Council reaffirms the role of the UNSC in the implementation of UNSCR 1441. The responsibility of the UNSC in maintaining international peace and security must be respected."

Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what powers member states of the United Nations Security Council have to offer political immunity to Saddam Hussein in inviting him to go into exile. [93894]

Mr. Rammell: The powers of the Security Council are set out in the Charter of the United Nations, Chapter VII of which provides that the Council shall decide what measures are to be taken to maintain or restore international peace and security.

Nuclear Weapons

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out the direct and indirect trade, barter or other form of exchange that has taken place since 1973 between the United States and the United Kingdom on nuclear weapons, nuclear weapons components or nuclear weapons materials under the provisions of the 1959 amendment to the 1958 US-UK Agreement on Mutual Defence on Atomic Energy Matters. [92307]

Mr. Hoon: I have been asked to reply.

Exchanges of information between the United Kingdom and the United States on nuclear weapon matters take place only under the auspices of the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement, and its amendments.

There have been no transfers of nuclear weapons between the UK and the US. The UK is a member and a Depositary state for the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (1968) and our

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actions, including under the Mutual Defence Agreement, are in compliance with that treaty. I am withholding other details under Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

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