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Written Ministerial Statements

Wednesday 5 February 2003

SOLICITOR GENERAL

Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate

The Solicitor-General (Ms Harriet Harman): The Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate Annual Report has today been published and laid before Parliament. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of the Houses.

DEFENCE

Missile Defence

The Secretary of State for Defence (Mr. Geoffrey Hoon): On 17 December I informed the House of the receipt of a request from the United States Government to upgrade the early warning radar at Fylingdales for missile defence purposes.

The Government has encouraged Parliamentary and public discussion of the issues involved. On 17 October, I informed the House of current work in the US on missile defence and, on 9 December, published a discussion paper, inviting interested parties to contribute their views. We have received a large number of responses both from individuals and organisations, and we have considered all contributions carefully. I have visited North Yorkshire to explain what the upgrade would involve and to hear at first hand the views of local people. We have engaged in initial discussions with the planning authorities. In an oral statement on 15 January, I informed the House of the Government's preliminary conclusion that it was in the UK's interest to agree to the US request. I gave evidence to the Defence Select Committee on the same day and addressed points raised by hon. Members in the defence debate on 22 January. I welcome the Select Committee's conclusion, in their report published on 29 January, that the UK should agree to the upgrade.

In the course of these discussions we have been able to clarify that: the upgrade essentially comprises computer hardware and software modification, and involves no new development or change to the external appearance or power output of the radar; the radar will continue to fulfil its long-established ballistic missile early warning system (BMEWS) role; it will continue to be operated and staffed by the Royal Air Force, and we will continue to enjoy full access to its data; and the upgrade does not of itself commit the UK Government to any greater participation in the US missile defence programme. It does, however, keep open the prospect of acquiring missile defence capabilities for the UK, should we desire such protection at some point in the future. We will continue discussions with the local planning authorities on the detail of the upgrade work.

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I am now satisfied that we have been able to take fully into account the views of all interested parties in coming to a decision. I am therefore today replying to the United States Secretary of Defence, Donald Rumsfeld, conveying the Government's agreement to the US request. We are separately negotiating a technical memorandum of understanding to give British industry the best possible opportunities to win work on the US programme.

Watchkeeper Programme

The Secretary of State for Defence (Mr. Geoffrey Hoon): The Watchkeeper project is progressing well and we expect shortly to make an announcement on which of the four bidders will be selected to go through to the next phase of the competition.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Council of the European Union (Forthcoming Business)

The Minister for Europe (Mr. Denis MacShane): Following is the forthcoming business of the European Union:

FEBRUARY 5—Brussels—Meeting of the Presidium

6–7—Brussels—Convention Plenary

10–11—Brussels—Agriculture & Fisheries Council

13—Brussels—Meeting of the Presidium

17—Brussels—EUROGROUP (evening)

18—Brussels—ECOFIN

20—Brussels—Education Youth & Culture Council (to be confirmed)

22—Thessaloniki—Energy Council (Ministerial Informal)

24–25—Brussels—General Affairs & External Relations Council

24–25—Brussels—Agriculture & Fisheries Council

26—Brussels—Meeting of the Presidium

27–28—Brussels—Convention Plenary

27–28—Brussels—Justice & Home Affairs Council

28—Brussels—Employment, Social Policy, Health & Consumer Affairs Council

Date	Location	Event
MARCH
1–2	Athens	Informal Education
3	Brussels	Competitiveness Council
4	Brussels	Environment Council
6	Brussels	Meeting of the Presidium
6	Luxembourg	Employment, Social Policy, Health & Consumer Affairs Council
6	Luxembourg	EUROGROUP (evening)
7	Luxembourg	ECOFIN
7	Luxembourg	Transport, Telecom & Energy Council
13	Brussels	Meeting of the Presidium
14–15	Athens	(Informal Defence Meeting)
17–18	Brussels	Convention Plenary
17–18	Luxembourg	Agriculture & Fisheries Council
18–19	Luxembourg	General Affairs & External Relations Council
21	Brussels	EUROPEAN COUNCIL
27	Brussels	Meeting of the Presidium
27–28	Luxembourg	Transport, Telecom & Energy Council)
27–28	Athens	EU-Rio Group, EU-MERCOSUR
28–29	Veria	Informal Justice & Home Affairs (Veria)
31	Brussels	Agriculture & Fisheries Council (to be confirmed)
APRIL
2	Brussels	Meeting of the Presidium
3–4	Brussels	Convention Plenary
4	Brussels	Justice & Home Affairs
4–6	Hania (Crete)	Informal ECOFIN (Ministerial)
5	Lisbon	Europe—Africa Summit
10	Brussels	Meeting of the Presidium
14–15	Luxembourg	General Affairs & External Relations
14	Brussels	Agriculture & Fisheries
16	Athens	Signature of the Accession Treaty
17	Athens	European Conference
23	Brussels	Meeting of the Presidium
24–25	Brussels	Convention Plenary
MAY
2–4	Olympia	Gymnich (Informal Foreign Ministers)
3–4	Athens	Informal Environment (Ministerial Informal)
5–6	Brussels	Education, Youth & Culture Council (To be confirmed)
8	Brussels	Meeting of the Presidium
10–13	Corfu	Agriculture (Ministerial Informal)
12–13	Brussels	Competitiveness
12	Brussels	EUROGROUP
13	Brussels	ECOFIN
14	Brussels	Meeting of the Presidium
14	Brussels	Transport, Telecom & Energy Council
15–16	Brussels	Convention Plenary
16	Brussels	EU–ACP Ministerial
16–17	Halkidiki	Informal Regional Policy (Ministerial)
16–18	Cruise off Greece	Informal Transport & Merchant Marine (Ministerial)
17	Brussels	EU–W. Balkans (Zagreb Process)
19	Brussels	General Affairs & External Relations (+ Defence)
20	Brussels	General Affairs & External Relations
22	Brussels	Meeting of the Presidium
24	Thessaloniki	Informal Culture (Ministerial)
26–27	Brussels	Agriculture & Fisheries Council
26–27	Crete	EUROMED Conference (Mid Term Ministerial)
27	Brussels	Environment Council
28	Brussels	Meeting of the Presidium
30–31	Brussels	Convention Plenary
31	St. Petersburg	EU–Russia Summit
JUNE
2	Brussels	EUROGROUP
12–13	Alexandroupoli	Development Co-operation (Ministerial Informal)
2–3	Brussels	Transport, Telecom & Energy Council
3	Brussels	ECOFIN
4	Brussels	Meeting of the Presidium
5–6	Brussels	Convention Plenary
5–6	Brussels	Justice & Home Affairs Council
5–6	Brussels	Employment, Social Policy, Health & Consumer Affairs Council
6	Rhodes	Public Administration (Ministerial Informal)
11	Brussels	Meeting of the Presidium
11–12	Brussels	Agriculture & Fisheries Council
12–13	Brussels	Convention Plenary
17–18	Luxembourg	General Affairs & External Relations
20	Halkidiki	EUROPEAN COUNCIL
21	Halkidiki	Zagreb II Summit
22	Brussels	General Affairs & External Relations
24	Brussels	Employment, Social Policy, Health & Consumer Affairs Council
JULY
2–3	Rome	Research (Ministerial Informal)
4–5	Naples	Transport Infrastructure (Ministerial Informal)
6	Brussels	Trade (Ministerial Informal)
10	Varese	Informal Council/Troika
11–12	Varese	Informal Council of Ministers of Labour and Social Affairs
15–16	Brussels	ECOFIN
11–12	Varese	Informal Council of Ministers of Labour and Social Affairs
15–16	Brussels	ECOFIN
17–18	Treviso	EU Employment Committee (Informal)
18–20	Montecatini	Energy & Environment (Ministerial Informal)
22–23	Brussels	Agriculture & Fisheries Council
22	Brussels	General Affairs & External Relations
24–25	Milan	European Conference on Discrimination
25–26	Verona	Education (Ministerial Informal)
AUGUST	No Meetings Planned

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