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Euro Roadshow

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the itinerary, with (a) dates and (b) agenda, of the recently announced roadshow of UK cities and towns as part of the EU information campaign; what budget has been assigned; how many staff have been tasked; what measures he will take to ensure that (i) hon. Members

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whose constituency it visits are informed and (ii) a full and open exchange of views occurs; and if he will make a statement. [124323]

Mr. MacShane: Details of the EU enlargement visits to more than 100 UK cities and towns can be found on the FCO public website (www.fco.gov.uk). This is updated regularly with details of future visits.

The FCO EU Public Diplomacy Section of seven staff is responsible for implementing efforts to inform the UK public about the EU—including this regional programme, in addition to other duties.

A budget of £40,000 has been set aside for this programme, and we work closely with local Government Offices and other regional organisations to arrange visits.

All hon. and right hon. Members and Members of the European Parliament are informed of forthcoming visits, and we aim to engage as wide an audience as possible by informing the media in advance.

Highly Skilled Migrant Programme

Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people were granted entry into the UK in each of the last six years under the highly skilled migrant programme. [123776]

Mr. Mullin: The Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) is administered by Work Permits UK at the Home Office and has only been in operation since 28 January 2002.

Work Permits UK are responsible for approving applications under the HSMP and for issuing permits to successful applicants. All HSMP permit holders require a visa under the provisions of paragraph 135 A-H of the Immigration Rules. Possession of a HMSP permit is not a guarantee that a visa will be issued. The applicant must still be able to demonstrate that (s)he qualifies for entry to the UK in accordance with the Immigration Rules.

Work Permits UK have approved 2,700 applications under the HSMP since January 2002. However, they cannot provide statistics on the number of those who were granted entry into the UK. UKvisas do not hold statistics on the number of visas issued to applicants who have been granted HSMP permits. These figures are subsumed within the general category of visas issued to work permit holders.

Indonesia

Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of British support projects for the reform process in Indonesia; and what action he plans to take to improve their effectiveness. [124167]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: Britain is active in a number of areas in assisting Indonesia making a success of its democratic reform, including police, legal and judicial reform, anti-corruption moves, security sector reform, democracy building and the support for an independent and free media. We review our co-operation in these areas regularly, including by external experts. We have a long-term commitment to Indonesia. As one of the main

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donors supporting the reform process in Indonesia, we continue to strive for greater coherency and co-operation among other donor partners in Indonesia.

Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to discuss with the Government of Indonesia support projects from the (a) judiciary and (b) the armed services aimed at aiding the process of reform under way in Indonesia. [124169]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The UK has regular discussions with the Indonesian Government about assistance in aiding its process of reform, mostly through our embassy in Jakarta. We aim to continue devoting our resources to assisting in the creation of a stable, democratic, peaceful Indonesia. Assistance with reform of the judiciary and armed services are important parts of our overall strategy. We have active co-operation through a programme of Bar Council and Law Society visits. We provided human rights training for five Supreme Court Judges this March, with further training planned. The Governance Partnership, which is undertaking research to help develop a constituency for governance reform, and which is supporting the rule of law, police reform and anti-corruption initiatives, is working on judicial oversight in the justice system. We have a UK Security Sector reform strategy, aimed at strengthening democratic control over the armed forces and helping the Indonesians rethink their security needs. During the visits of my noble Friend Baroness Kennedy of the British Council in June 2002, and my noble Friend Baroness Scotland, the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the FCO, in September 2002, seminars were held with the Indonesian Chief Justice and members of the Indonesian Supreme Court. Through support to the International Committee of the Red Cross we are providing the security services with training in human rights and international humanitarian law. These programmes are ongoing.

Iraq

Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Ba'ath Party officials have been arrested by allied forces in Iraq; and what assessment has been made of the role of such officials still at large as leaders of Saddam loyalist resistance in Iraq. [124029]

Mr. Rammell: Detentions of senior Ba'ath Party officials by the Coalition continue. Where senior Ba'athists pose a security risk, or are suspected of having been involved in criminal activity, they will continue to be detained by Coalition Forces. Assessments of the role of those still at large, whether involved in resistance against Coalition forces or otherwise, are ongoing.

On 16 May, the Coalition Provisional Authority issued an Order disestablishing the Ba'ath Party. This Order removes and bars all members of the Ba'ath Party at the rank of Senior Member and above from positions of authority in the future. All Ba'ath Party members suspected of criminal conduct will be investigated and, if necessary, detained.

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Islamabad

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to visit the entry clearance operation in Islamabad to review its work. [123856]

Mr. Mullin: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has no immediate plans to visit the Visa Section in Islamabad but he is monitoring developments there closely and is committed to restoring a full entry clearance operation as soon as the security situation in Pakistan allows.

A number of measures are, however, being implemented that will increase the level of service Islamabad is able to offer. In particular, the number of entry clearance officers in post has risen significantly. This will enable the Visa Section to increase the level of service, both in terms of categories of applications they can accept and how quickly they can be processed.

Israel

Mr. Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Israeli Government to restore equality of levels of access and treatment for the BBC to that accorded to other media organisations. [124263]

Mr. Rammell: We are concerned by the decision by the Israeli Government not to grant any interviews or access to the BBC. It is for the BBC to take this up with the Israeli Government.

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Government next plan to host a visit by the Israeli Prime Minister. [124417]

Mr. Rammell: Prime Minister Sharon will visit the UK on 13–16 July.

Kosovo

Mrs. Mahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken to prevent acts of violence against members of the Serb community in Kosovo. [124421]

Mr. MacShane: A key priority for United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the Kosovo Force (KFOR), embodied in their mandates from UN Security Council Resolution 1244, is to create a safe and secure environment for all Kosovo's citizens. Overall, statistics for the first five months of 2003 showed a continuous decrease of serious crime in Kosovo. This includes a reduction in ethnically motivated attacks, though any such crime continues to be a cause for concern.

KFOR continues to use its troop presence to prevent attacks on minorities. For example, in Multinational Brigade East 190 security patrols are mounted every day, 65 checkpoints are manned and 64 facilities, such as Serb patrimonial sites, are guarded. KFOR also conducts air surveillance, response to emergency calls, search operations, border control, escorts for Serbs, and support to UNMIK Police in investigation of criminal activities and arrest or detention of suspected criminals. The Kosovo Police Service (KPS) has also been

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established as a genuinely multi-ethnic force working alongside international police to help deter violence and build confidence.

A key step in Kosovo's progress is to ensure that ethnically motivated violence is considered unacceptable. In building a tolerant society that can provide security for all its minorities, Kosovo Albanian leaders and political parties are publicly condemning acts of violence that appear to be ethnically motivated.

Mrs. Mahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) Serbs and (b) other minorities have returned to Kosovo in the past year. [124422]

Mr. MacShane: United Nations Mission in Kosovo figures indicate that in 2002 there were 2,756 returns: 966 Serbs, 390 Roma, 884 Ashkali/Egyptians, 149 Bosniaks, 73 Gorani and 294 Kosovo Albanians returned to areas where they are a minority. During the first five months of 2003, 437 Serbs, 330 Roma/Ashkali/Egyptians, 133 Bosniaks, 31 Gorani and 61 Kosovo Albanians returned to Kosovo. This is a total of 992 returns, up from 874 during the same period last year.

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