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Democratisation

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department's budget is for assistance in building democracy in post-conflict situations. [110341]

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Mr. Rammell [holding answer 1 May 2003]: Democracy building is not accounted for as a distinct FCO budget line. The FCO funds democracy building activity in a variety of ways. In 2003–04 the Global Conflict Prevention Pool (£74 million—managed jointly with MOD and DFID), Human Rights Project Fund (£7 million), and various bilateral programmes all contain elements of democracy building. In addition the FCO will fund the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (£4.1million) which promotes democracy world-wide and the British Council which will spend £12.1million on governance, which includes democracy building. Furthermore, the FCO works in partnership with DfID and MOD as part of the Africa Conflict Prevention Pool (£50 million) which seeks to address the peace and security challenges in Africa—a prerequisite for democracy. Some of the new Global Opportunities Fund will also be used for some democracy building work. Identifying the post conflict democracy building activities within these programmes could be undertaken only at disproportionate cost.

EU Committees

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the names, titles and grades of the officials who sit on the EEC-Russia Co-operation Committee, the number of times and the dates on which it has met since January 2002, the agenda items it has considered since January 2002, the decisions it has made since January 2002 and the means used to communicate these decisions to the House. [110497]

Mr. MacShane: The EU Russia Co-operation Committee meets at senior official level in Troika format (ie the EU is represented by the Presidency, Commission and Council Secretariat). The remaining 14 European Union member states contribute to the detailed preparation of the Committee and are able to observe the formal session. Since 17 April 2003, delegates from the 10 EU accession states are also entitled to attend most EU committees, including the EU-Russia Co-operation Committee, as observers. The EU-Russia Co-operation Committee normally meets once a year to discuss areas of policy which come under the framework of the EU's Partnership and Co-operation Agreement (PCA) with Russia. It last met in October 2002.

Decisions made by the committee of direct significance for the UK are submitted to Parliament under established scrutiny procedures and are considered and reported on by the House of Lords European Union Committee, the House of Commons European Scrutiny Committee, and the devolved Administrations in Wales and Scotland.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list (a) the names, titles and grades of the officials who sit on the EU committee on implementation of the programme of assistance to promote the transition to a market economy and to strengthen democracy and the rule of law in the partner states of eastern Europe and Central Asia (TACIS), (b) the number of times and the dates on which it has met since January 2002, (c) the agenda items it has considered since January 2002, (d) the

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decisions it has made since January 2002 and (e) the means used to communicate the decisions to the House. [110537]

Mr. MacShane: The EU TACIS Management Committee meets at senior official level, is chaired by the commission, and attended by the 15 member states. Since 17 April 2003, delegates from the 10 EU accession states are also entitled to attend most EU committees, including the EU TACIS Management Committee, as observers. The UK is represented on the Committee by officials from the Department for International Development, and by members of staff of the United Kingdom Representation in Brussels.

The TACIS Management Committee meets as often as is necessary to exercise oversight of the EC programme of technical assistance to the Commonwealth of Independent States (TACIS). It has met eight times since January 2002, with the most recent meeting taking place on 23 April 2003.

Decisions made by the committee of direct significance for the UK are submitted to Parliament under established scrutiny procedures and are considered and reported on by the House of Lords European Union Committee, the House of Commons European Scrutiny Committee, and the devolved Administrations in Wales and Scotland.

European Constitution

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the policy of the Government towards the proposal laid down in the proposed European Constitution that Europe should be governed on a federal basis. [110700]

Mr. MacShane: The Government consider the proposal made by the Praesidium of the Convention on the Future of Europe that

"the Union ... shall administer certain common competences on a federal basis" to be misleading. It has therefore proposed that the words on a federal basis" be replaced by
"shall co-ordinate certain policies at a European level to achieve goals that they cannot achieve on their own". EU member states will discuss the convention's outcome in an Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) before taking final decisions on it by unanimity.

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the policy of the Government towards the proposal laid down in the proposed European Constitution stating that the European Union should have a legal personality. [110701]

Mr. MacShane: The explicit grant of legal personality to the European Union would have the advantage of clarity and simplicity. But the Government would only accept it on the basis that the distinct arrangements for the Common Foreign and Security Policy and aspects of Justice and Home Affairs were fully safeguarded, along with the existing arrangements for representation in international bodies.

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Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the policy of the Government towards the proposal laid down in the proposed European Constitution stating that the member states may accede to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. [110702]

Mr. MacShane: All European Union member states are already party to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR).

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the policy of the Government towards the proposal laid down in the proposed European Constitution with regard to the creation of citizenship of the Union. [110703]

Mr. MacShane: EU citizenship was established by the Treaty on European Union. The provisions governing Union citizenship are contained in Part Two of the Treaty establishing the European Community. It is expressly stated that the EU citizenship conferred upon persons holding the nationality of a member state shall

"complement and not replace national citizenship". The draft Constitutional Treaty being debated by the Convention on the Future of Europe sets out similar provisions. The Government support this policy.

India (Tamil Nadu Ordinance)

Mr. Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what representations he has made on the impact of religious freedom of the Tamil Nadu ordinance on movement within the state; and if he will make a statement; [110110]

(2) what reports he has received on the impact on the Dalit people in India of the ordinance relating to movement in the state passed by the Tamil Nadu State Government; and if he will make a statement. [110111]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: Since the Tamil Nadu Ordinance on Religious Conversions was passed into law on 2 December 2002, some observers in the state have noted a general fall in the number of public conversions there, but we have not been able to corroborate this. The law's effects on Tamil Nadu's Dalit population are also as yet unclear. We are not aware of any cases that have yet been brought to court under the law's provisions.

Although the impact of this law is not yet clear, we are concerned that this legislation might in practice discourage Tamil Nadu's citizens from adopting the religion of their choice. Such an effect might limit religious freedoms as outlined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which India has ratified. We have had no discussions with the Government of India about this legislation. But our Missions in India will continue to monitor closely the implementation of the law, and we will discuss with EU Partners whether any EU action is necessary.

Kuwait

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 1 April 2003, Official Report, column 645W, on Kuwait,

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which four categories have not been resolved and what were the respective amounts for each category; which two categories have not been resolved; why these have not been resolved; and what amounts are involved. [110422]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: Of the six categories of claims being dealt with by the UN Compensation Commission (UNCC) four relate to claims by individuals and the other two to claims by corporations, Governments and international organisations. The Governing Council of the UNCC took a decision to prioritise claims made by individuals. Other claims continue to be processed. Full details of all claims, both resolved and outstanding, can be found on the UNCC website: www.unog.ch/uncc.

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