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Weapons of Mass Destruction

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made since the end of the conflict in Iraq in the search for weapons of mass destruction; and what quantities of weapons of mass destruction have been found. [126084]

Mr. Straw [holding answer 16 July 2003]: Coalition forces and specialist personnel of the Iraq Survey Group are actively pursuing sites, documentation and individuals connected with Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programmes. We are investing significant effort in the search. The process will be painstaking.

There have been some successes: the discovery of mobile laboratories which bear a striking resemblance to those described in US Secretary of State Colin Powell's presentation to the UN Security Council in March 2003; and the recent recovery of a large quantity of documents relating to Iraq's nuclear programme together with parts of a gas centrifuge which had been hidden since 1991 by an Iraqi scientist formerly engaged

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on Iraq's nuclear programme. We anticipate that more scientists previously employed on Iraq's WMD programmes will start to come forward with evidence and equipment.

Any finds clearly must be very carefully analysed and assessed. This process is continuing. When we have collated the evidence, it will be presented appropriately and properly.

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has forwarded to the International Atomic Energy Agency the intelligence from an unnamed third country, regarding Iraq's supposed attempt to buy uranium from Niger. [126313]

Mr. Rammell: No. Under long-established agreements such intelligence may only be shared with others with the express permission of the originating agency. We have encouraged all states that have relevant information to pass it to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action was taken in response to information that Iraq had been trying to obtain uranium from an African source; when he was first informed that Mr. Joseph Wilson had been sent to Niger to investigate whether Iraq was seeking uranium yellowcake from Niger; when he asked for the Wilson Report from the US Central Intelligence Agency; what discussions on the allegations he has had with officials of the United States Government since February 2002; and if he will make a statement on the source of United Kingdom intelligence on Iraqi interests in uranium from Niger. [126443]

Mr. Rammell: The Government was not aware of Ambassador Wilson's visit to Niger until recent media reports. The Government of the United States did not brief us on the visit at the time, but has now given us a comprehensive account of his report. I cannot comment further as it is the longstanding practice of successive Governments not to comment on intelligence matters.

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 3 July 2003, Official Report, column 456W, on Iraq, if he will make a statement on the UK Government's obligations under Article 10 of Security Council Resolution 1441 to pass to the International Atomic Energy Agency the information upon which it bases its assessment that Saddam Hussein's regime attempted to obtain uranium from Africa. [126582]

Mr. Rammell: The UK has encouraged all states that have relevant information to pass it to the UN weapons inspection teams. The information upon which the assessment was made that Saddam Hussein's regime had attempted to procure uranium from Africa came from the intelligence service of another Government. Under the terms of long-established agreements covering the sharing of intelligence information, no Government can pass on such information to anyone else without the express consent of its originator.

Israel

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what matters in respect of

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(a) Israel's possession of nuclear weapons, (b) Israel's policy on signing the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty and (c) the imprisonment of Mordecai Vanunu he raised with (i) Prime Minister Sharon and (ii) members of his delegation during his visit to London in July. [126308]

Mr. Rammell: The priority for the visit was to discuss Road Map implementation and bilateral relations.

We do however consistently urge Israel to accede to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as a non nuclear weapons state, and to sign a full-scope safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), most recently during official-level talks in Tel Aviv on 5 March. Under the agreement with IAEA, Israel's nuclear facilities would be subject to regular inspection to detect and eliminate any diversion of nuclear materials for weapons production. The UK has consistently supported UN Resolutions calling for the establishment of a Middle East zone free of weapons of mass destruction. That zone would include Israel.

We have raised our humanitarian concerns about the conditions of Mr Vanunu's imprisonment with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Following his latest parole hearing the Israeli authorities decided against his early release. Our Embassy in Tel Aviv will continue to monitor his case.

IT Contracts

Mr. Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many outsourced IT contracts have been signed by his Department in each year since 1997; how much each of these contracts is worth; with whom they are signed; how many have been renegotiated; how many are still in place; and if he will make a statement. [126199]

Mr. Rammell: Since 1997 two outsourced IT contracts have been signed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. In March 1997 a 10-year PFI contract, valued at £2 million, was signed with BT Syntegra for an electronic archive system, known as Minerva. In May 2000 a 10-year PFI contract was signed with Global Crossing Telecommunications (UK) for the FCO Telecommunications Network (FTN). This contract is now valued at £237.6 million including bandwidth purchased for other Government Departments. Both PFI contracts are still in place and neither has been renegotiated.

Judicial Committee of the Privy Council

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he had with the governing authorities of (a) Anguilla, (b) Bermuda, (c) the British Virgin Islands, (d) the Cayman Islands, (e) the Falkland Islands, (f) Gibraltar, (g) Montserrat, (h) St Helena, (i) the Turks and Caicos Islands, (j) the Isle of Man, (k) Jersey and (l) Guernsey on the Government's plans to change the legal responsibilities of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council as a court of appeal. [126773]

Mr. Rammell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs on 17 July 2003, Official Report, column 471W.

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Media Training

Mr. Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost was to his Department of media and voice training for ministers and officials in each year since 1997. [123132]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has spent a total of £405,664 on media and voice training from April 1997 to end March 2003. The training was for officials only.

The table as follows shows expenditure per annum.

£

Year	Amount
1997–98	59,732
1998–99	59,732
1999–2000	15,705
2000–01	96,941
2001–02	101,523
2002–03	109,193
Total	405,664

Guantanamo Bay

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on trials of (a) British citizens and (b) foreign nationals with an indefinite right of abode in the UK who are detained in Guantanamo Bay being held under the jurisdiction of (i) courts in the USA, (ii) courts in the UK and (iii) courts with an international jurisdiction. [126463]

Mr. Rammell [holding answer 17 July 2003]: The Government's view is that if any of the detainees held at Guantanamo Bay are to be tried, the trial must be fair and accord with international law, wherever it may be conducted.

The Government are not in a position to provide diplomatic assistance to non-British nationals wherever they may be detained abroad.

Mr. Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which other Government Departments he consulted about the establishment of military tribunals in Guantanamo Bay; and when. [126865]

Mr. MacShane: The Military Commissions concerned were established by the US President's Military Order of 13 November 2001, Detention, Treatment and Trial of Certain Non-US Citizens in the War Against Terrorism.

The Government was not consulted on the Order.

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received from consular authorities about the plans of the US authorities to charge UK prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay; and what the maximum penalties will be that such prisoners face. [123440]

Mr. Mullin: We are in regular contact with the United States authorities about the British detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, although our discussions are not with the consular authorities. Two of the British detainees have been designated as eligible for trial by

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Military Commissions, but have not yet been charged. The US announced on 18 July that they would not commence any Military Commission proceedings against British nationals pending discussions between US and UK legal experts. During his visit to the US on 21–22 July, the Attorney-General received assurances from the US Administration that the prosecution would not seek the death penalty in either of these two cases.

We have been informed that the United States authorities have not yet made a decision to charge or release any of the other British nationals detained at Guantanamo Bay. We are pressing the United States authorities to move forward with the process of determining the detainees' future and shall continue to do so.

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