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Sierra Leone

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the lifting of sanctions on conflict diamonds in Sierra Leone. [119367]

Mr. Rammell: I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement that I made today.

Burma

Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has made to the Burmese Government on their recent arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi. [119262]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The UK has made numerous representations to the Burmese Authorities. The British Embassy in Rangoon has repeatedly sought access to National League for Democracy (NLD) leaders Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and U Tin Oo. On 2 June we called in the Burmese Ambassador to the UK to express the British Government's deep concern over recent events in Burma and again spoke to him on 3 June. On 6 June I spoke to the Burmese Deputy Foreign Minister to reiterate our concern and to call for substantive and meaningful dialogue with the democratic movement. On 9 June the EU démarched the Burmese Government

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calling for the immediate release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her party officials and for the reopening of universities and NLD offices. With our EU partners we are considering what further steps we will take if the regime does not provide immediate satisfactory responses.

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Burmese authorities about the detention of Aung San Suu Kyi; and if he will make a statement. [119477]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend, the Member for Tamworth (Brian Jenkins) today (UIN 119262).

Congo

Mr. Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the prospects for peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with particular reference to Ituri province. [119059]

Mr. Mullin: I refer the hon. Member to the Statement given to the House on 12 June 2003, Official Report, column 849, by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Defence (Mr. Ingram) .

Mr. Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions the Government has had with the (a) Rwandan and (b) Ugandan Governments regarding the supply of arms to the Lendu and Hema tribes in the Democratic Republic of Congo. [119060]

Mr. Mullin: We are in regular contact with the Governments of Rwanda and Uganda and continue to call on them, and the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), to stop all support to armed groups in Ituri. UNSCR 1484 of 30 May demanded "the cessation of all support, in particular weapons and any other military materiel, to the armed groups and militias" and that "all Congolese parties and all states in the region actively prevent the supply of such support".

The UK continues to uphold the EU arms embargo (imposed 7 April 1993), which bans the export of military equipment from the EU to the DRC, and to examine all export licence applications against our national criteria and the EU Code of Conduct.

Aid to Women

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 6 May 2003, Official Report, column 567W, on democratisation, what proportion of the (a) Global Conflict Prevention Pool, (b) Human Rights Project Fund, (c) the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, (d) British Council, (e) Africa Conflict Prevention Pool and (f) Global Opportunities Fund monies provide assistance directly to women. [118056]

Mr. Rammell [holding answer 10 June 2003]: Assistance to women is not accounted for as a distinct FCO budget line. Separately identifying all the activities within these programmes that directly provide assistance to women could be undertaken only at

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disproportionate cost. However, we can identify activities which by their nature are likely to provide some assistance to women:

(a) The Global Conflict Prevention Pool supports a number of initiatives that bring a gender perspective into its conflict prevention activities. For instance, under the Indonesia/East Timor Strategy, the Global Pool is helping UNIFEM's Women, Peace and Security Programme gather information on women's peacebuilding and gender justice initiatives, and is helping the Department for Peacekeeping Operations implement its new guidelines on mainstreaming gender in peace operations. Given that 90 per cent. of those killed, wounded, abused or displaced in conflict are women or children, focusing people's attention on women in conflict is a natural corollary of Conflict Prevention Pool activity;

(b) The Human Rights Project Fund has allocated £624,050 (9 per cent.) of this year's £7.1 million budget to womens' rights projects;

(c) The Westminster Foundation for Democracy has committed £440,000 (19 per cent.) out of £2.32 million allocated so far this year to projects directly supporting women;

(d) Much of British Council activity is geared towards young people, men and women, but of its work on governance £1.1 million (9 per cent.) out of £12.1 million specifically relates to women's projects;

(e) The Africa Conflict Prevention Pool promotes peace and security in Africa as a necessary condition of development. Peace, security and development benefit men, women and children alike. There is growing evidence that the most vulnerable groups in society, including women, children and the aged are among the principal victims of modern African conflicts. Efforts to reduce conflict are therefore potentially of greater benefit to these groups; and

(f) The Global Opportunities Fund has just been launched and will be used to reinforce work in five main thematic areas, including human rights and good governance. Funding will be channelled first to programmes and then, through these, to projects. Five programmes are being launched this financial year. We are not yet able to confirm how funds will be allocated, but we are committed to working with women in all areas, particularly through the programmes on Engagement with the Islamic World, Good Governance in EU Applicant Countries and Near Neighbours, and Strengthening our Relations with Emerging Markets.

Indonesia

Mr. Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what mechanism has been established to monitor and report on the use of Hawk fighter jets in Indonesia. [119064]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: I visited Indonesia on 3–4 June, and raised the issue of the use of Hawk aircraft with senior Members of the Indonesian Government, including President Megawati. I warned the Indonesian Government of the possible consequences for defence sales and our defence relationship if Hawk aircraft are used to violate human rights.

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Our embassy in Jakarta receives information from inter alia, NGOs, other foreign observers and the media as well as from the Government.

Iraq

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken to ensure that the international community has been given the opportunity to participate in the rebuilding work agreed by Coalition forces; and what form this participation and partnership has taken. [118975]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: UN Security Council Resolution 1483 gives a clear framework for international participation in the rebuilding of Iraq. Many countries are already contributing to the rebuilding process through a presence in the Coalition Provisional Authority [CPA], co-ordinated in Baghdad by the International Co-ordination Council, chaired by Polish ex-Deputy Prime Minister, Marek Belka. The UN is to hold a conference on 23 June 2003 to instigate an updated UN Flash appeal, to be followed by a conference on 24 June 2003 for countries planning to contribute to reconstruction in Iraq. The European Commission's Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) is now operating in Iraq and we are encouraging the European Commission and our EU partners to maximise their contributions to reconstruction.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken (a) to prevent indiscriminate attacks, revenge attacks, hostage taking and collective punishment being perpetrated by Iraqi civilians and (b) to ensure that the police and security services in Iraq do not perpetrate similar acts. [118976]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Coalition is committed to maintaining law and order. Coalition forces are currently conducting 2,000 patrols per day, of which 200 are joint patrols with the Iraqi police. UK police experts on law enforcement and the criminal justice system are advising on the stabilisation of the security situation and rebuilding the Iraqi police.

The Royal Military Police investigates complaints made against the Iraqi police by Iraqi civilians. I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave her today [UIN 118979].

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken to restore and maintain public order and safety in Iraq since the ending of military action. [118978]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: Restoring public order is a top priority for the Coalition. Reporting from Baghdad indicates that progress is being made, with a significant decline in armed criminality. 2,000 Coalition patrols are conducted each day, of which 200 are joint patrols with the Iraqi police.

Over 2,000 Iraqi police have returned to work in the UK-divisional area in Southern Iraq and 9,000 in Baghdad. I am told that 18 Iraqi police stations in Baghdad are now operating 24 hours a day with 23 more scheduled to reopen by 30 June 2003. UK police experts on law enforcement and the criminal justice system are

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advising on the stabilisation of the security situation and rebuilding the police service. UK forces have been conducting joint patrols with the Iraqi police since 13 April 2003 in Basra.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken to ensure that Iraqis serving in the police and security services are subject to a vetting process to ensure no individuals suspected of or known to have perpetrated human rights violations are given positions of influence. [118979]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: UK field security teams conducted background checks on re-registered police in the UK area. The Coalition has published an order which bars senior members of the Ba'ath Party from future positions of authority including in the police and security services. Those suspected of criminal conduct are investigated and detained if necessary.

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