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17 Mar 2003 : Column 546W—continued

Special Advisers

Mr. Cash: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much was spent by the Department on (a) special advisers and (b) external

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contracts in each year since 1997; if she will name the advisers and contractors; and if she will place copies of the relevant contracts in the Library. [100843]

Ms Rosie Winterton: For information on special advisers, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office (Mr. Alexander), on 31 January 2003, Official Report, column 1056W.

For information on external consultancy expenditure I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to the right hon. Member for Haltemprice and Howden (David Davis) on 28 October 2002, Official Report, column 600W and the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 24 February 2003, Official Report, column 16W.

The Department places very many contracts for a wide range of goods and services including products such as all office furniture, transcription tapes, office supplies and stationary. Services range from the provision of IT, office cleaning, court reporting, postage through to utilities.

Purchasing of such items is generally devolved, so the information requested cannot be readily provided.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan

Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with representatives of the US Government regarding (a) compensation and (b) other assistance for the Afghan woman, Orfa, whose house in Bibi Mahru was accidentally bombed by a US F-16; on what date he raised the matter with the US; and what response he has received. [102904]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: We have discussed the case referred to a number of times with the US since it was first reported in the Guardian in October 2002. The US have indicated that they do not pay claims for compensation arising from combat activities. The US have assisted Afghanistan as a whole with development funding on a substantial scale. We are still discussing this matter with the US authorities and I will seek to keep my hon. Friend informed if there are any developments.

Antarctica

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the number of tourists visiting Antarctica in each of the past five years by (a) cruise ship and (b) air, and their environmental impact; and if he will make a statement. [103448]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO) presents annually a report on tourism in Antarctica at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM). These reports detail tourist visits by cruise ship and air. Scientific monitoring of sites visited by tourists show that there has been no significant impact on the Antarctic environment from tourism.

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Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the total UK expenditure on the Antarctic Environmental Protocol Secretariat is for 200–03; and how much is projected for 2003–04. [103449]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: There is no Antarctic Environmental Protocol Secretariat as such. However it was agreed in principle at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting in 2001 that an Antarctic Treaty Secretariat should be set up. Given that this has yet to be established there has been no UK expenditure to date.

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions have been held with the Governments of (a) Chile, (b) Argentina, (c) South Africa, (d) Australia and (e) New Zealand concerning the funding of the Antarctic Environmental Protocol Secretariat; and if he will make a statement. [103451]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: We are in regular discussions with the Argentineans regarding the proposed Antarctic Treaty Secretariat to be located in Buenos Aires.Negotiations on setting up the Secretariat, including its funding, continue with the Governments of Chile, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, as with all other Antarctic Treaty Parties, at annual Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings (ATCM). The next of these will be held in Madrid (June 2003). Separately, an informal intersessional meeting is scheduled for 1 to 4 April in Buenos Aires to discuss matters relating to the Treaty Secretariat.

Arms Sales

Joyce Quin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the EU code of conduct on arms sales, with reference to sales to Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [101954]

Mr. Rammell: The sale of military listed items and dual use items to Iraq is restricted by sanctions. Those which are not automatically prohibited require approval from the UN Iraq Sanctions Committee, of which we are a member. As a member of the Sanctions Committee our evaluation of any application for permission to export such goods, including applications from EU partners, would involve consideration against the criteria of the Code. We consider the Code to be an effective tool to apply when making such decisions.

Burma

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the human rights situation in Burma. [103045]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The human rights situation in Burma is poor and a matter of grave concern. The UK Co-sponsored a resolution at the United Nations General Assembly in November 2002 that condemned the Burmese regime's record and I issued a public statement on 20 November giving my strong support for the resolution. On 18 February, the European Union issued a statement expressing concern over the deteriorating situation in Burma, including further politically inspired detentions and arrests. With EU

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partners, we are preparing a resolution for the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in April that will again press for action to address the human rights abuse in Burma.

China (North Korean Refugees)

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he will make to the Chinese authorities concerning (a) the repatriation of North Korean refugees in China, (b) the refusal by the Chinese Government to allow the UNHCR access to the North Koreans who have fled into China and (c) China's obligations under the 1951 UN Convention on the Treatment of Refugees. [102594]

Mr. Rammell: We regularly raise the issue of North Korean refugees with the Chinese, including at the biannual UK/China Human Rights Dialogue. At the last round of the Dialogue, on 21 November 2002, we urged China to allow the UNHCR access to the border areas and to observe its obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention. We will continue to encourage greater co-operation between China and UNHCR on this issue.

Entry Clearance Officers

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when entry clearance officers in (a) New Delhi, (b) Mumbai, (c) Dhaka, (d) Tehran and (e) Nairobi ceased using the pre-assessment procedure for visa applications. [103145]

Mr. Rammell: Use of the pre-assessment procedure was ceased in: (a) New Delhi in August 2002; (b) Mumbai in February 2003; (c) Dhaka in January 2003 (but during January to March 2003 Dhaka has been operating a pre-assessment procedure for settlement applications to help accustom applicants to its withdrawal); (d) Tehran in July 2002; and (e) Nairobi in October 2002.

Family Visitor Visas

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what initiatives to increase family visitor visa applicants' awareness of their appeal rights have been undertaken since 1 January 2002. [103144]

Mr. Rammell: All unsuccessful applicants receive at the time of refusal written notices informing them about their right to appeal, and the procedure they need to follow should they choose to exercise this right. So all applicants are aware of their appeal rights.

India (Nuclear Tests)

Mr. Purchase: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Indian Government on their intentions towards signing the nuclear test ban treaty. [103036]

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Mr. Mike O'Brien: We regularly raise the issue of Indian accession to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, and other international Treaties relating to non-proliferation, with the Indian Government.

Iraq

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Turkish Government regarding the administration of Northern Iraq following military conflict with Iraq. [102765]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs last met Turkish Foreign Minister Yakis at Copenhagen on 13 December. They did not discuss Iraq.

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what (a) discussions he has held with and (b) representations he has received from multinational oil companies in relation to the exploitation of Iraqi oil following a conflict in the middle east; [102767]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: It is our position that Iraqi oil is owned by the Iraqi people. Its revenues should be used for the good of the people. We make this clear in all our contacts on the subject.

However, the current situation is not about oil, it is about weapons of mass destruction and the Iraqi regime deliberately flouting the will of the United Nations.

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to protect the Kurds of Northern Iraq from any advance by the Turkish army, following a military attack on Baghdad by US and UK forces. [102768]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: I understand that both the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan in northern Iraq remain in close touch with the Government of Turkey about developments in the area. I am not aware of any decision by Turkey to advance against the northern Iraqi Kurds.

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent studies his Department has undertaken of Iraqi oil reserves. [102770]

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Mr. Mike O'Brien: We have not undertaken any new studies of Iraqi oil reserves.

Mr. Soley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make the UNMOVIC Working Document of 6 March on Iraq's unresolved disarmament issues available (a) to hon. Members and (b) through major retail outlets in the UK. [103288]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The document has already been placed in the library of the House. It is also available on the UNMOVIC web site, www.un.org/uniTiovic. Together with the most recent presentations by Dr. Blix and Dr. El Baradei to the UN Security Council and the twelfth UNMOVIC quarterly report it will also be published as a Command Paper (Cm 5785). It will be publicly available through The Stationery Office.

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