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Europe (Core Treaties and Protocols)

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list each of the articles of each of the core treaties and related protocols of the European (a) Community and (b) Union in force which were (i) approved as being subject to consequential parliamentary legislative proceedings and (ii) accepted and executed by Crown prerogative following advice from Ministers. [113437]

Mr. MacShane: Before the UK acceded to the European Communities in 1973, Parliament passed the European Communities Act 1972 in order that the United Kingdom's obligations under the Communities' founding treaties could be fulfilled. Subsequent amendments to the treaty structure have, in accordance with the treaties themselves, been agreed by the common accord of the governments of the member states. Amendments then enter into force after being ratified by all the member states in accordance with their respective constitutional requirements. In the United Kingdom, an amending treaty must be laid before Parliament, and any necessary amendments to the European Communities Act 1972 passed by Parliament, before it can be ratified under the Crown prerogative.

Gibraltar

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has held with the Chief Minister of Gibraltar. [113477]

Mr. MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had no recent discussions with the Chief Minister of Gibraltar. I met Mr. Caruana in London on 17 December 2002 and have since spoken with him twice by telephone.

Guantanamo Bay

Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions his Department has had with the Pentagon regarding the proposed release of the child detainees in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; and if he will make a statement. [113570]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: None of the minors concerned are British nationals. Nevertheless, the issue will form part of our regular dialogue with the US about all the detainees at Guantanamo Bay.

The US has told us that all detainees are being treated humanely and consistently with the principles of the Geneva Convention.

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Mr. Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK citizens are detained by the USA in (a) Guantanamo Bay and (b) Afghanistan; whether any of them are under 18; what legal and consular advice is available to them, whether any have been charged with offences; and if he will make a statement. [113598]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: Nine British nationals are detained by the US at Guantanamo Bay, none of whom are under the age of 18. I am told there are no British nationals detained by the US in Afghanistan.

As Guantanamo Bay is outside a recognised consular district, the US does not consider that we are entitled to formal consular access there. However, British officials have visited on five occasions to check on the identity and welfare of the British nationals and ask questions relating to national security. We were the first country to visit its nationals there. The United States has told us it will treat the detainees humanely and consistently with the principles of the Geneva Conventions.

None of the British detainees have been charged with offences. Nor have they had access to legal representation. We have told the US that the detainees are entitled to humane treatment, and if prosecuted, a fair trial. We are pressing the US to move forward with the process of determining the detainees' future, and shall continue to do so.

Human Exploitation and Forced Marriages

Mr. Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking to help the international community eradicate (a) the commercial sexual exploitation of children, (b) trafficking in persons, (c) forced marriages, (d) bonded and forced labour, (e) debt bondage and (f) serfdom. [113703]

Mr. Rammell: The Government are working with the International Labour Organisation and other UN bodies, NGOs and governments to combat the diverse forms of contemporary slavery, such as forced or bonded labour, debt bondage and serfdom. The UK has ratified the key international legal instruments that outlaw slavery: the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the UN Slavery Convention, and ILO Conventions 29 and 105 on Forced Labour. We are promoting the widest possible ratification and practical implementation of these. We have also signed the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography and intend to ratify once domestic legislation is in place.

The FCO finances a number of projects to promote the rights of the child and to combat contemporary forms of slavery. This year projects include an Anti-Slavery International initiative to end the use of child camel jockeys, and a project to implement the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in Tajikistan.

In 2002, the FCO and the National Hi Tech Crime Unit provided 10 countries with equipment and training to investigate on-line child abusers. The project has resulted in a number of convictions and we expect to extend it to another 10 countries this year. UK law enforcement agencies work closely with partners in source, transit and destination countries to detect, prevent and prosecute

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organised criminal gangs that traffic in humans for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation. In 2003 the Government provided an additional £60 million to combat organised immigration crime.

The UK was one of the first signatories to the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime and the two associated protocols against the facilitation of illegal immigration and for the prevention of trafficking in human beings, especially women and children. This requires signatories to ensure trafficking is a punishable offence, alongside the introduction of prevention, education and support initiatives for victims. We plan to ratify the Convention and the Protocol later this year and are encouraging those countries that have not yet signed the Convention or protocols to do so.

The Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002, introduced a new offence of "trafficking a person for the purpose of controlling him or her in prostitution." This ensures there is a serious criminal sanction against traffickers, and is punishable by up to 14 years imprisonment. We will introduce legislation on new offences covering human trafficking for labour exploitation as soon as parliamentary time allows.

In 2000, the FCO set up a dedicated unit to tackle the issue of forced marriage. The Unit has handled over 500 cases and repatriated over 100 victims. The Unit works with NGOs, police and judiciary in the UK and overseas. It carries out preventative work in the UK, developing guidelines for the police and social services, increasing public awareness, and achieving wide media coverage.

Indonesia (Religious Persecution)

Mr. Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Indonesian Government regarding the persecution of Christians. [113704]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: Religious freedom in Indonesia is enshrined in the Constitution and is respected by the Indonesian Government and the majority of Indonesians. Although religious differences were the apparent spark of violence in the provinces of Maluku and Sulawesi, underlying economic factors were at least as important.

We, along with our European partners, have urged the Indonesian Government to maintain law and order and promote reconciliation in both provinces, and bring to justice extremists responsible for human rights abuses.

Iraq

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions took place in (a) 2000 and (b) 2001 between the British and Iraqi Governments on (i) the return of weapons inspectors and (ii) the lifting of sanctions; what governments and persons were used as intermediaries in this process; what discussions the British Government had with the governments of (A) France, (B) Russia and (C) the United States on this matter prior to the discussions in 2000 and 2001; and if he will make a statement. [112713]

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Mr. Mike O'Brien: As part of our extensive efforts to resolve the Iraqi disarmament issue following the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1284, the Government held discussions with a number of other Governments. Our overall objective was to ensure the return of UN weapons inspectors to verify Iraq's disarmament as required under that resolution and, ultimately, the lifting of sanctions.

These discussions took the form of both direct bilateral exchanges and discussions in multilateral fora. On a number of occasions the Government also encouraged other Governments, both in the region and elsewhere, which enjoyed closer relations with the Iraqi regime to persuade them to co-operate with the United Nations.

Ministerial Transport

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost of (a) ministerial cars and drivers and (b) taxis for his Department was in 2002. [101540]

Mr. Rammell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office (Mr. Alexander) on 20 May 2003, Official Report, column 663W.

Most of the FCO's expenditure on taxis in the UK is channelled through three contracts for taxi services. Expenditure under them amounted to £525,026.69 during 2002. There will also have been other expenditure on taxis by our Missions overseas. But that is not recorded separately and it would involve disproportionate cost to obtain the total spent by them on taxis during 2002.

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