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Trade Barriers

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effect of reductions in barriers to non-agricultural goods on (a) developed countries and (b) developing countries. [146614]

Hilary Benn: The WTO negotiations on non-agricultural market access have yet to reach agreement with several countries having submitted proposals. Although this makes assessment of the implications for developed and developing countries difficult, most studies concur that reductions in tariffs could bring significant benefits. A recent UNCTAD ¹ study estimated that a reduction in barriers to non-agricultural goods will lead to an increase in global welfare of between $20 billion and $40 billion. A substantial majority of these gains are expected to go to developing countries, with welfare in developed countries remaining virtually unchanged.

¹ Laird, S., Cordoba, F., Vanzetti, D. (2003) Market Access Proposals for Non-Agricultural Products. UNCTAD.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Legislation

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Leader of the House if he will list for each session since 2000–01 the (a) Acts of Parliament and parts thereof and (b) Statutory Instruments enacted by requirements of legislation of the European Community and Union; and how many regulations passed by EU institutions have applied without further enactment in each year since 2000. [145460]

Mr. Hain: This information is not collated and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of progress in destroying poppy production in Afghanistan by use of strimmers; and if he will make a statement. [147165]

Mr. Rammell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Mike O'Brien, gave him on 16 December 2003, Official Report, columns 1426–27.

Responsibility for eradication programmes in Afghanistan resides with the Afghan government. We are not aware of the use of strimmers as an eradication method in Afghanistan. Methods which have proved effective in the past include the use of sticks, ploughs and tractors.

Chechnya

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role he envisages for the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Chechnya. [146685]

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Mr. MacShane: We believe that the OSCE could have a useful role to play in support of a political process in Chechnya. We regret that since the closure of the OSCE Assistance Group to Chechnya at the end of 2002, it has been impossible for the OSCE Chairmanship in Office to agree with the Russian Federation on specific OSCE projects for Chechnya, with or without an OSCE presence on the ground in the region. If President Kadyrov showed clearly that he was prepared to work for reconciliation, to promote a genuinely open political process and to uphold human rights, the OSCE would be ready to assist, though any activities would have to take full account of the security situation in the region.

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he (a) has made and (b) intends to make to the Russian authorities to persuade them (i) to cease compelling displaced Chechens to return to the war zone, (ii) to allow humanitarian organisations access to camps containing displaced Chechens, (iii) to avoid closing such camps without providing alternative accommodation and (iv) to issue invitations to UN specialist agencies to visit Chechnya. [146687]

Mr. Rammell: We have bilaterally and with the EU repeatedly reminded the Russian Government of their obligations under the 1951 UN Convention on Refugees, stressing that all movements of internally displaced persons (IDPs) must be strictly voluntary. We have also stated that the dismantling of shelters, or the suspension of food, water and energy supplies, in our view constitutes a forced return.

The EU most recently raised concerns over IDPs during the recent Chechen Presidential elections. The EU, with UK support, issued a statement raising concerns over the conduct of the elections. The statement asked the Russian Government to provide assurances that the return of IDPs in Ingushetia and throughout the North Caucasus would be strictly voluntary. After the elections had taken place the EU issued a further statement, which the UK also supported. That statement expressed concern over the condition of refugees in neighbouring Ingushetia, repeating the EU's rejection of any attempts of involuntary return of refugees to Chechnya. It also called on the Russian authorities to renew their efforts to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to those in need.

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Russian authorities in respect of (a) the mass bombardment of civilians in Chechnya, (b) the desirability of negotiations to bring the conflict to an end and (c) the applicability of internationally accepted standards of conduct to this conflict. [146709]

Mr. Rammell: We regularly raise with the Russian Government UK concerns about the situation in Chechnya, in particular human rights. We have stressed that there is a need for an open political process, and that Russian security operations in Chechnya must uphold the rule of law and respect human rights. We most recently did so following the Chechen Presidential elections, when I issued a press statement on 16 October 2003 calling for newly elected President Kadyrov to

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work for reconciliation, to promote a genuinely open political process and to uphold human rights. A copy of the press statement is available on the Foreign and Commonwealth website: www.fco.gov.uk/policy/news/press-releases. The UK also supported EU statements issued on 26 September and 9 October 2003. copies of which are available on the Council of the Europe Union website address: http://register.consilium.eu.int.

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to support the arraignment before an international criminal court of individuals suspected of war crimes in Chechnya. [146710]

Mr. Rammell: The Russian Federation is not a State Party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and Chechnya is currently therefore outside its jurisdiction. The UK has not called for an international tribunal on Chechnya as we believe such a move would be counter-productive. We continue to press Russia on the situation in Chechnya both bilaterally and multilaterally through the EU. UN and Council of Europe.

Colombia

Mr. Luke: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the Government is taking to ensure that Colombia fulfils its commitment to implement UN recommendations on human rights. [146747]

Mr. Rammell: A Working Group of representatives of governments which attended the London Meeting on International Support for Colombia has been set up in Bogota to monitor progress of commitments made on all sides, including UN recommendations. The Working Group is evaluating how we can work with the Colombian Government to ensure quicker progress on the implementation of the UN's recommendations. We will continue to impress upon the Colombian Government the importance we attach to the protection of human rights and of taking full account of the UN's own assessment of progress on its recommendations.

Egypt

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government has made to the Egyptian Government since 26 December 2003 regarding Mr. Magiid Nawaz. [147228]

Mr. Rammell: Maajid Nawaz is one of three British men currently detained in Egypt.

Ministers and officials have made several representations to the Egyptian authorities about this case since the men were first detained in April 2002. The verdict was expected on 25 December 2003, but the case has been adjourned until 25 March. My noble Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean wrote to the Egyptian Foreign Minister on 7 January to express her concern at the length of time it is taking to complete this case.

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EU Enlargement

Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the (a) levels of unemployment and (b) living standards in the nations which will secure membership of the EU in May. [146654]

Mr. MacShane: In 2003, average unemployment in the 10 accession countries was 10.2 per cent., caused largely by the restructuring required for EU accession. It is expected that this figure will fall as the adjustments become embedded. Unemployment in the EU15 in 2003 remained unchanged at 8.0 per cent. The average GDP per capita in the 10 accession countries in 2002 (latest figures) was US$7,105, compared to US$24,689 in the EU15. While this demonstrates the current disparity between existing and new member states, the real GDP growth in accession countries over the last five years has been 18.9 per cent. (4.1 per cent. in 2003), compared with 10.1 per cent. in the EU15 (0.8 per cent. in 2003).

Combined with the political and economic reforms enacted for EU membership, this sustained growth should facilitate a gradual reduction in the current disparity, as has been the case in previous waves of enlargement. (All figures are from the IMF).

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