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30 Jun 2003 : Column 62W—continued
China
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he was asked to meet the released Tibetan political prisoner Ngawang Sandrol during her visit to London; what his response was; what his policy is with regard to (a) himself and (b) other Ministers in his Department meeting political prisoners; whether he raised the issues of (i) Tibet and (ii) political prisoners in China when he met the Chinese Foreign Minister Li Xlaoxing; and if he will make a statement. [122564]
Mr. Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary did not meet Ngawang Sangdrol, but I did so on 26 June.
There is no specific policy on meeting former political prisoners. Ministers meet a wide range of people in the context of our efforts to promote better human rights worldwide.
During his talks with the Chinese Foreign Minister, Li Zhaoxing, on 25 June, the Foreign Secretary raised the issue of Tibet and the human rights situation in China more generally. A list of individual cases about whom we are particularly concerned was handed to the Chinese delegation.
Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to raise the issue of Tibet in his forthcoming meeting with the Foreign Minister of China. [122629]
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Mr. Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary raised Tibet, and the human rights situation in China more generally, when he met Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing on 25 June.
Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to meet Ngawang Sangdrol, the recently-released Tibetan political prisoner. [122631]
Mr. Rammell: Ngawang Sangdrol visited the UK from 21–27 June. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary was unable to meet her during her visit. However I met her on 26 June.
Christians
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Christians have been (a) killed and (b) injured because of their faith in the last year in each country for which information is available. [120101]
Mr. Rammell: The Government strongly condemns all instances where individuals or groups are subject to discrimination, intimidation or attacks because of their religion or belief. In co-operation with non-governmental organisations active in this field, we monitor closely reports of religious persecution. The Government do not, however, keep independent statistics on the numbers of those killed and injured belonging to one religion in any particular country. We also believe that it would be extremely difficult to verify in many cases that the death or injury to the person was solely or primarily because of their religious belief.
The Government continue to raise their concerns over Freedom of Religion in the relevant international fora, including the UN Commission on Human Rights. We also regularly make representations to the governments concerned on specific cases of religious persecution.
Cocaine Trafficking
Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking to reduce the amount of cocaine reaching the UK from (a) Colombia and (b) the remainder of South America; and if he will make a statement. [122003]
Mr. Rammell: The UK maintains an active dialogue on drugs trafficking with Colombia and other coca producing countries and transit countries in South America and the Caribbean. In financial year 2002–03, the FCO's Drugs and Crime Fund provided over £5 million in counter-narcotics related assistance to priority countries in the region including Colombia. Projects included funding for Her Majesty's Customs and Excise drug law enforcement training, provision of drug detection equipment and contributions to various United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime projects.
Colombia
Sandra Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the President of Colombia's statement
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that there is no difference between combatants and non combatants in the context of the protection of the civilian population. [121837]
Mr. Rammell [holding answer 26 June 2003]: Various reports have appeared of what was said by President Uribe at a meeting with Colombian non-governmental organisations on 11 June. I warmly welcome the fact that the meeting took place. When I met the President in May I stressed the importance which HMG attaches to respect for human rights and the role of civil society in Colombia.
Congo
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government has made to (a) Rwanda and (b) Uganda with regard to their actions in the Democratic Republic of Congo. [122040]
Mr. Mullin: We are in regular contact with the governments of Rwanda and Uganda. We continue to call on them, and on the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), to stop all support to armed groups in both Ituri and in the DRC more widely. UN Security Council Resolution 1484 of 30 May demanded that all states in the Great Lakes region refrain from any activity which could further destabilise the situation in Ituri, and demanded "the cessation of all support, in particular weapons and any other military materiel, to the armed groups and militias" and further demanded that all Congolese parties and all states in the region actively prevent the supply of such support.
EU Regulations
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many regulations originating from the EU have been implemented by the Department over each of the last five years. [120845]
Mr. MacShane: Regulations are, in general, directly applicable in the member states, without the need for implementation in national law. This has been a fundamental requirement of our membership of the EU since we joined in 1973.
The total number of EC, ECSC and Euratom regulations made over each of the last five years is estimated to be:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 2,852 |
| 1999 | 2,802 |
| 2000 | 2,882 |
| 2001 | 2,600 |
| 2002(12) | 2,125 |
(12) Up to and including November
It should be noted that many of these are small or technical regulations to amend, implement or indeed repeal existing measures.
It would incur disproportionate cost to identify which Government Department was responsible for each of
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these regulations. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office plays a co-ordinating role in the UK's EU policy, and so rarely has lead responsibility for EC regulations.
France
Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) how many UK citizens employed as lorry drivers were arrested, detained and released in France where a judge has failed to authorise their continued detention in each year since 1997; [121355]
- (2) how many UK citizens employed as lorry drivers were released from France and then subsequently committed to be extradited in each year since 1997. [121356]
Mr. Mullin: We do not record statistics on the points raised by my hon. Friend. It would involve disproportionate cost to provide the information requested.
Indonesia
Mr. Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his latest assessment is of British military equipment which has been misused by the Indonesian Government. [122191]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Indonesian Government has told us that British-built military equipment has not and will not be used offensively or in violation of human rights. We are continuing to monitor the situation.
We know that on 19 May 2003 British-built Hawk aircraft were used to escort military transport aircraft on the first day of action in Aceh, and on 23 June 2003 British-built Scorpion tanks were deployed to Aceh. The Indonesian Government has said that this is to protect supply routes against attack. We have no other confirmed reports of British-built equipment being used in Aceh.
Iraq
Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the sites in Iraq categorised by the British Government as key in the search for weapons of mass destruction; which of these sites have been searched by Coalition forces; what percentage of the total number of sites this represents; and if he will publish any significant evidence that has been discovered. [115516]
Mr. Hoon: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 29 April 2003, Official Report, column 315W, to the hon. Member for Southport (Dr. Pugh).
The Coalition has several hundred sites we wish to examine and further sites are being identified as investigations develop. Investigations may require more than one visit to certain sites. The process of visiting and examining the sites and other evidence will not be quick, and the number of sites visited or left to visit is not an indication of the success of the task at hand.
As the Government have already made clear we will aim to release information concerning evidence of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programmes and when and where appropriate.
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Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Iraqis have been tried in proceedings initiated or authorised by the British occupation authorities for offences committed (a) before and (b) after the occupation of Iraq; and what legislative procedures have been used in these trials. [121483]
Mr. Rammell: The applicable law is the law that applied in Iraq on 16 April 2003 (in accordance with Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) Regulation No. 1), subject to modifications and amendments made by the CPA. On 9 June 2003 the CPA issued an Order amending the Iraqi Penal Code to ensure compliance with basic international legal obligations.
No Iraqis have been tried in proceedings initiated or authorised by the British occupation authorities for offences committed before the occupation of Iraq. I will write to my hon. Friend when the information becomes available regarding the number of Iraqis tried by the Iraqi court authorities.
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