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17 Jun 2003 : Column 141W—continued
Energy Efficiency
Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what targets his Department has established for improving energy efficiency; and how he intends to achieve those targets. [120049]
Mr. Straw: I refer the right hon. and learned Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Brecon and Radnorshire (Mr. Williams) by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Mr. Rammell) on 9 June 2003, Official Report, column 640W.
Gibraltar
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is his policy to seek joint sovereignty of Gibraltar with the Government of Spain. [119509]
Mr. MacShane: I refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary to the House on 12 July 2002, Official Report, column 1165.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is his policy that the people of Gibraltar shall be entitled to vote in the 2004 European Parliamentary elections. [119510]
Guantanamo Bay
Mr. Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the term unlawful combatants in relation to detainees held in Camp X-ray, Guantanamo Bay. [118627]
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Mr. Mike O'Brien: The status of the detainees under international law depends on the facts of each individual case and is ultimately a matter for the US, as the detaining power.
Whatever their status, the detainees are entitled to humane treatment and, if prosecuted, a fair trial. The US has said that the detainees are being treated humanely and consistently with the principles of the Geneva Conventions. We understand that the US has made no decisions on prosecution.
We are pressing the US to come to a decision on the detainees' future.
Mrs. Lawrence: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on when British nationals in Guantanamo Bay will be charged or released. [118472]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: We have been informed that the United States authorities have not yet made a decision to charge or release any of the British nationals detained at Guantanamo Bay. However, we are in regular contact with the US authorities about the situation of the detainees. We are pressing the United States authorities to move forward with the process of determining the detainees' future and shall continue to do so.
Iraq
Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what evidence has been discovered of mass killings and torture in Iraq under Saddam Hussein's regime; and if he will make a statement. [119006]
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Mr. Mike O'Brien [holding answer 16 June 2003]: As documented in the FCO's December 2002 dossier "Saddam Hussein—Crimes and Human Rights Abuses", the human rights record under Saddam Hussein was appalling. The dossier examines Iraq's record on torture, the treatment of women, prison conditions, arbitrary and summary killings, the persecution of the Kurds and Shia, the harassment of opposition figures outside Iraq and the occupation of Kuwait. It is based on the testimony of Iraqi exiles, evidence gathered by human rights organisations and intelligence material.
Since the fall of the regime, information and testimonies are emerging that reveal a scale of torture and killing perpetrated by the regime which was arguably even greater than feared.
One example is that the UK team of forensic experts currently working in Iraq estimate that there may be at least 50 mass graves in Iraq and that more than 300,000 people may have been murdered.
Mr. George Atkinson
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether he is making representations to ensure that Mr. George Atkinson will be released from custody in Dubai on or before 1 September 2003; [117478]
- (2) whether he has sought assurances from the Government of Dubai that Mr. George Atkinson will be deported to the United Kingdom when he is released; [117479]
(3) pursuant to his answer of 10 April 2003, Official Report, column 370W, whether he expects Mr. George Atkinson will be released from custody in Dubai on 1 September 2003. [117964]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The UAE courts sentenced George Atkinson to six years imprisonment for financial crimes and payment of fines and compensation totalling approximately £1,560,000. George Atkinson is currently serving an additional six-month sentence for non-payment of fines. The Dubai Ruler's Court has informed George Atkinson's lawyers that he can expect to be released at the end of this period on 1 September 2003. The original judgement also indicated that Mr. Atkinson will be deported from the UAE on completion of the sentence.
Oman
Mr. Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what efforts the UK Government has made to resolve the dispute over the legality of the travel ban imposed upon Mr. Jonathan Brown, a constituent, by the Omani Government in August 2000. [116310]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Our embassy in Muscat has sought clarification from the Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on several occasions as to the status of
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the travel ban against Mr. Brown. The MFA maintains that the travel ban has been properly constituted. A copy of the ban order has been translated by the embassy and passed to Mr. Brown. Mr. Brown continues to argue that the travel ban is illegal, but despite several requests that he provide a legal opinion to support his position, he has not yet been able to do so.
Mr. Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what basis the Government, via its embassy in Oman, issued the warning that limited the right of travel of Mr. Jonathan Brown, a constituent, as a condition of returning his passport. [116311]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: This Government did not issue the warning that limited Mr. Jonathan Brown's right of travel. The warning originated from the Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Mr. Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the UK Government and its embassy in Oman took to ensure that the travel ban imposed on Mr. Jonathan Brown, a constituent, by the Omani Government, on 21 August 2000, was legal and properly served. [116312]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Our embassy has communicated Mr. Brown's concerns over the travel ban imposed on him to the Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). The MFA confirmed that the proper legal procedures had been followed. Our embassy has undertaken to contact the MFA again if, for example, Mr. Brown's lawyer can provide a legal opinion supporting Mr. Brown's contentions.
Mr. Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps the UK Government has taken to secure the return to the UK from Oman of Mr. Jonathan Brown, a constituent; and if he will make a statement. [116313]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Mr. Brown has been involved in a commercial dispute in Oman since mid-2000. Our embassy has been providing all the consular assistance they properly can since Mr. Brown's case came to their attention. Mr. Brown is not detained but unable to leave Oman until he meets the approximately £10,000 judgment against him.
Most recently, on 19 May 2003, our ambassador in Muscat wrote to Mr. Brown advising him to provide the Omani Immigration Service with the routine information requested. Our ambassador also suggested that Mr. Brown consider meeting the costs of the Omani judgement against him in order to facilitate his departure from Oman. Mr. Brown replied that he has chosen not to comply with these requests.
Our embassy will continue to do all they properly can to help, but, at the moment, action rests with Mr. Brown.
South Atlantic Council
Mr. Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) which
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(a) Government Ministers and (b) officials from his Department will attend the South Atlantic Council meeting in Buenos Aires later this year; [118772]
- (2) what offers of assistance have been made by the British Ambassador to Argentina to the South Atlantic Council towards its forthcoming conference in Buenos Aires. [118773]
Mr. Straw: We are unaware of any plans for a meeting of the South Atlantic Council in Buenos Aires this year. However, a meeting of the Argentine British Conference will be held in Buenos Aires on 25–26 October, for which the British Ambassador has agreed to offer a reception at his Residence. No decisions have yet been taken on UK participation at the meeting.
Zimbabwe
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs from which councils of the Commonwealth Zimbabwe is suspended. [118982]
Mr. Straw: Zimbabwe is suspended from all Councils of the Commonwealth. This includes the Commonwealth Science Council. The Commonwealth Secretariat and members of the Commonwealth ensured that, at the Commonwealth Science Council meetings in Johannesburg in the week of 9 June, the terms of the suspension were observed.
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