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Written Answers to Questions

Thursday 17 July 2003

PRIME MINISTER

Cabinet Committees

Liz Blackman: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to    his answer of 26 June 2003, Official Report, column 921W, on Cabinet Committees, when he will publish the full membership and terms of reference of Ministerial Committees of the Cabinet. [127305]

The Prime Minister: I have today published the full membership and terms of reference of Ministerial Committees of the Cabinet, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Parliamentary Questions

Mr. Sayeed: To ask the Prime Minister when he will answer the question of 24 February from the hon. Member for Mid-Bedfordshire on IT contracts in his Department above £50 million. [126903]

The Prime Minister: I understand that the hon. Member tabled this question to a number of Departments. However, he did not table it to me.

European Constitution

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his written answer of 16 June 2003, Official Report, column 63W, on the EU White Paper, what discussions he expects to occur prior to the next meeting of the European Council; who is expected to preside over its proceedings; and whether Her Majesty's Government will present a provisionally agreed European Constitution for ratification by Parliament. [126546]

The Prime Minister: The Convention on the Future of   Europe presented parts I and II of its draft Constitutional Treaty to the European Council at Thessaloniki (19–20 June). The European Council agreed that the draft Treaty represents a good basis for   starting negotiations at the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC), which will be convened in October 2003. It will be conducted by representatives of the member states and the 10 acceding states. They will take final decisions on a Constitutional Treaty for the European Union by common accord. As with previous EU Treaties, Parliament will have the opportunity to debate it and pass the legislation required to give effect to it before it is ratified.

Falkland Islands

Mr. Alan Duncan: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he had with President Kirchner of Argentina at the progressive governance conference concerning sovereignty of the Falkland Islands; and if he will make a statement. [126272]

 
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The Prime Minister: I did have discussions with President Kirchner on the Falkland Islands. However, the issue of sovereignty was not raised.

Guantanamo Bay Prisoners

Simon Hughes: To ask the Prime Minister if he will request from President George Bush the return of all British prisoners held in Guantanamo Bay to the United Kingdom for the due attention of prosecution and other criminal justice authorities. [126462]

The Prime Minister: The Government is making active representations to the US Government about the future of the UK detainees at Guantanamo Bay. These representations cover a range of options including the possible return of the detainees to the UK and the need for any trials of UK detainees to be fair and in accordance with international law.

The Government has consistently urged the US Government to resolve the position of the detainees.

House of Lords Appointments Commission

Jim Knight: To ask the Prime Minister when he expects to lay the first report of the House of Lords Appointments Commission for 2000 to 2003 before Parliament. [126762]

The Prime Minister: I have today received the first   report of the House of Lords Appointments Commission. The report covers the commission's first term from May 2000 to May 2003. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

I am grateful to the commission for finding, in fulfilment of their remit, people of distinction whom it has recommended on merit.

I shall be inviting the commission to recommend a small number of non-party-political peers, as well as reporting on the propriety of any party working peers who are recommended, while discussion on the reform of the House of Lords continues.

Accordingly, after following the standard procedures set by the Commissioner for Public Appointments, I have reappointed the chairman and independent members of the commission for further terms of three years, subject to continued discussion on the reform of the House of Lords, not least following our initial response to the Joint Committee report. I am also placing in the Libraries of both Houses my letter to the chairman.

Pursuant to my answers on 19 May 2003, Official Report, columns 536–37W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice), I would like to clarify that the House of Lords Appointments Commission does come within the remit of the Commissioner for Public Appointments and appointments to the commission are made in accordance with her code of practice

Iraq Dossier

Paul Flynn: To ask the Prime Minister whether the inclusion of (a) the information and (b) the illustration
 
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of UNSCOM's visits to the Iraqi presidential palaces in the September Dossier was at the instigation of the Security Services. [126468]

The Prime Minister: As we have made clear, the Chairman of the JIC was responsible for the production of the September 2002 dossier.

Gregory Barker: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his answers of 7 July 2003, Official Report, column 616W, on intelligence, what progress has been made since 7 July in identifying the sources in the security services responsible for leaks to the media in respect of the Iraq dossier. [126897]

The Prime Minister: I have nothing further to add to my previous answer to the hon. Member on 7 July 2003, Official Report, column 616W.

Judicial Committee of the Privy Council

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he had with the Governments of (a) New Zealand, (b) Antigua and Barbuda, (c) Bahamas, (d) Barbados, (e) Belize, (f) Dominica, (g) Grenada, (h) Jamaica, (i) St. Christopher and Nevis, (j) Saint Lucia, (k) Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, (l) Trinidad and Tobago, (m) Kiribati, (n) Tuvalu, (o) Mauritius, (p) Anguilla, (q) Bermuda, (r) the British Virgin Islands, (s) Cayman Islands, (t) Falkland Islands, (u) Gibraltar, (v) Montserrat, (w) St. Helena, (x) the Turks and Caicos Islands, (y) the Isle of Man, (z) Jersey and (aa) Guernsey on his plans to change the legal responsibilities of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council as a court of appeal. [126771]

The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Department for Constitutional Affairs (Mr. Leslie) gave to her today.

Ministerial Visits

David Davis: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list visits within the United Kingdom he has made since 1 April; what the cost was to public funds of each trip; whom he met; and what gifts were received [126988]

The Prime Minister: On visits, the information is not readily available in the format requested. I shall write to the hon. Member once this information is available, and will place copies of the letter in the Libraries of the House.

On gifts, the Government are committed to publishing an annual list of gifts received by Ministers in an official capacity valued at more than £140. The first ever list was published on 14 March 2003, Official Report, column 482W. Details of gifts received during 2003–04 valued at more than £140 will be published at the end of the current financial year.

Pay Review Bodies

Liz Blackman: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on payment for Pay Review Body chairs and members. [127304]

 
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The Prime Minister: The Government have decided to pay the chairmen and members of the Pay Review Bodies for the work they carry out. Payment will be made on a per diem basis at a rate of £350 for the chairmen and £300 for other members.

Payment will begin in September.

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