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Diplomatic Relations(France, Germany and Russia)

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations with (a) France, (b) Germany and (c) Russia. [104010]

Mr. MacShane: The United Kingdom's bilateral relations with France, Germany and Russia remain close. We work with France and Germany effectively on important issues such as European defence and the Convention on the future of Europe, and with Russia on the fight against terrorism. There are areas of policy on which we do not agree on tactics e.g. Iraq. But although our approaches on Iraq may differ, there is no difference between us on the fundamental point of the absolute need to disarm Saddam.

Edgar Fernandes

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last discussed the case of Mr. Edgar Fernandes with the Turkish authorities; and if he will meet the hon. Member for Leicester, East to discuss the case of Mr. Edgar Fernandes. [103218]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: We have been monitoring the investigation into Mr. Fernandes' murder since 1998. Our consular staff in Turkey have regularly attended court hearings relating to the case. We have also raised the case with the Deputy Director General of the Turkish Ministry of Justice, the prosecutor and the family's lawyer. The lawyer and the prosecutor have assured us that rumours that the case may be closed are unfounded. Our consular staff will attend the next court hearing on 10 April and will continue to keep the family fully informed of developments. I do not consider that a meeting with my hon. Friend would be productive at this stage, but we will review this point once the outcome of the case is known.

Iraq

Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the verification of UN sanctions placed on Iraq in each of the last five years, including a list of imports and their sources. [102664]

Mr. Rammell: Exports to Iraq are monitored by the UN Office of the Iraq Programme. They provide a breakdown of Iraqi imports by sector. The document is available on the Internet atthe following address http://www.un.org/Depts/oip/background/basicfigures2.html.

The following is a breakdown of Iraqi imports from EU countries over the last six years:

Value: US$ 000s

					January to June
	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002
Total EU-15 Exports	220,199	542,165	651,532	1,038,550	1,729,640	849,855
France	24,546	85,300	77,837	129,042	591,869	212,556
Italy	5,027	37,580	72,453	242,276	327,336	148,373
Germany	126,571	244,468	300,460	361,895	301,408	203,872
Spain	5,374	14,055	29,085	57,282	92,983	37,832
Belgium	—	—	37,339	52,279	88,366	46,750
UK	10,492	42,099	56,899	77,174	87,825	27,846
Austria	1,490	9,671	12,341	28,740	76,845	58,677
Sweden	1,517	9,253	4,222	20,309	69,676	43,993
Denmark	7,131	15,195	8,402	20,165	39,298	17,947
Netherlands	12,559	24,977	42,752	32,522	37,693	24,026
Finland	269	1,377	6,884	7,744	8,981	3,359
Greece	188	2,040	870	4,093	5,868	16,314
Portugal	113	61	1,043	50	926	-
Ireland	46	204	949	4,915	303	1,070
Luxembourg	—	—	—	62	261	7,243

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Fully comprehensive information concerning the source and type of goods imported by Iraq is not readily available, and would incur disproportionate cost to discover.

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements he has made to compensate surviving family members of civilians killed by the United Kingdom and United States military campaign against Iraq. [104011]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The UK is committed to acting in accordance with international law. If military action is undertaken lawfully, no right to compensation arises. We have always been, and will remain, in the forefront of efforts to help the Iraqi people. Unlike Saddam Hussein, we have always tried to minimise the adverse effects of our actions on Iraqi civilians.

Kosovo

Mr. Wareing: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Albanians have been (a) arrested, (b) charged and (c) convicted in Kosovo of being involved in the destruction of Orthodox churches since June 1999. [103461]

Mr. MacShane [holding answer of 18 March]:.There have been no Albanians arrested, charged, or convicted, in Kosovo for being involved in the destruction of Orthodox churches.

I told Kosovo Albanian leaders during my visits to the province that the destruction of churches and all religious sites were acts of barbarism which bring shame and dishonour to all concerned. NATO-led KFOR continues to patrol and guard churches.

Mr. Wareing: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance is available for Serbs who were forced to leave Kosovo to return to the province in respect of (a) accommodation and (b) security. [103462]

Mr. MacShane [holding answer 18 March 2003]: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) co-ordinates sustainable returns of all Internally Displaced Persons and refugees to Kosovo, including Serbs. The UNHCR, as well as cross-border Non-Governmental Organisations and local authorities, provide information on all aspects of the return process, including on accommodation and security, as well as public services, economic opportunities, and acceptance by the existing

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communities. It is ultimately a decision for each individual as to whether to return to Kosovo, based on the information provided by these agencies.

We recognise the problems facing Kosovo Serbs. Though returns have clearly not been sufficient, United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), under the leadership of Michael Steiner, has established an Office for Returns and Communities, and a Strategy for Sustainable Returns for 2003. UNMIK and the NATO-led KFOR provide security within the Province.

Ministerial Travel

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list internal flights made by Ministers in his Department in 2002, including in each case the (a) cost, (b) departure location and (c) destination; and of these how many were (i) first class, (ii) business class and (iii) economy class. [103583]

Mr. Straw: The following is a list of internal flights made by Ministers in that capacity in my Department in 2002.

1. I flew to Manchester from London Heathrow on 27 July 2002. The cost of the Business Class ticket was £158.50.

2. I flew to Edinburgh on an RAF HS125 on 27 August 2002, then on to Belfast, before returning to London. I was accompanied on the aircraft by a Private Secretary; a Special Adviser, three officials and a Special Branch Protection Officer. The cost of the aircraft was £2,028.84.

3. I flew from London to Birmingham on an RAF helicopter on 6 September 2002. The cost was £1,838.09 and I was accompanied by my Private Secretary and a Special Branch Protection Officer. For further details, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Chelmsford, West (Mr. Burns) on 5 February 2003, column 306W.

4. My noble Friend Baroness Symons flew to Teesside from London Heathrow on 29 November 2002. The cost of the Business Class ticket was £403.50.

5. The then Minister for Europe, my right hon. Friend the Member for Neath (Peter Hain) flew to Belfast from London Heathrow on 26 February 2002. The cost of the Economy Class ticket was £166.40.

6. The Minister for Europe, my hon. Friend the Member for Rotherham (Mr. MacShane) flew to Glasgow from London Heathrow on 7 July 2002. The cost of the Business Class ticket was £261.40.

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7. The Minister for Europe, my hon. Friend the Member for Rotherham (Mr. MacShane) flew to Glasgow from London Heathrow on 17 October 2002. The cost of the Business Class ticket was £289.40.

Libya

Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Libyan authorities regarding the murder of PC Yvonne Fletcher in 1984; and what progress has been made in finding the killer. [103351]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The ongoing investigation into the murder of WPC Yvonne Fletcher is an operational matter for the Metropolitan Police. Officers from the Metropolitan Police made two visits to Libya in 2002 to discuss the investigation with the relevant Libyan judicial authorities. I also raised the issue with the Libyan Foreign Minister when I visited Libya in August 2002. The Metropolitan Police will continue to pursue this investigation.

Scotland

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many special advisers in the Department (a) have left and (b) will be leaving to work in Scotland for the Labour Party in the forthcoming Scottish parliamentary elections. [103609]

Mr. Straw: No special advisers have left and none will be working in Scotland for the Labour Party in the forthcoming Scottish parliamentary elections.

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans Ministers in the Department have to (a) visit Scotland on official business, (b) announce public appointments and (c) make Ministerial announcements in April. [103658]

Mr. Straw: Departmental business during the campaign period preceding elections to the Scottish Parliament will be conducted in accordance with the Guidance on Conduct for Civil Servants in UK Departments in respect of elections to the Scottish Parliament and National Assembly for Wales, published by the Cabinet Office on 10 March.

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