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Entry Clearance

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) how many interviews were conducted by the British High Commission in Islamabad, Pakistan for entry clearance for settlement purposes in each month in the last two years. [149885]

(2) how long it took on average in 2003 for a person applying for entry clearance for settlement to be granted an interview; [149887]

Mr. Mullin: The table shows the number of interviews for entry clearance applications for settlement, conducted at our High Commission in Islamabad in each month during 2002 and 2003.

	Settlement interviews conducted in 2002	Settlement interviews conducted in 2003
January	1,607	Nil
February	758	Nil
March	1,065	Nil
April	1,296	Nil
May	697	Nil
June	Nil	Nil
July	Nil	Nil
August	Nil	Nil
September	Nil	Nil
October	Nil	196
November	Nil	123
December	Nil	164

Due to security concerns at the High Commission, three partial evacuations of staff were carried out between October 2001 and May 2002 and only essential staff remained in post by 8 June 2002. Although the number of entry clearance staff in post increased significantly during 2003, the Visa Section's ability to offer applicants an interview has been severely disrupted over the past two years.

During 2002 entry clearance interviews for applicants wishing to settle in the UK were only conducted from January to 21 May. During 2003 interviews for non-settlement applications resumed on 1 June, although interviews for settlement did notresume until 1 October

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2003, since when the average wait for interview has been 10 working days. During 2004, 63 interviews are recorded as being conducted up to 20 January.

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people are waiting to be granted an interview by the British high commission in Islamabad for entry clearance for settlement purposes. [149888]

Mr. Mullin: As at 20 January 2004, 62 people had scheduled appointments for settlement interviews up to 10 February. A further 66 applicants were waiting for their interview appointments to be arranged.

EU Countries (Access)

Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the estimated (a) number and (b) percentage is of the populations of (i) Bosnia and Herzegovina and (ii) Kosovo who have visa-free access to European Union countries by virtue of their Croatian passports or citizenship is; and if he will make a statement. [147734]

Mr. MacShane [holding answer 14 January 2004]: While we are aware that a number of Croatian citizens living in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo have visa-free access to European Union countries by virtue of their Croatian passports or citizenship, we do not have details of precise numbers. In order to travel to the UK, all Croatian citizens must have a visa.

Further research to determine the precise figures required by this question would incur disproportionate costs.

European Court of Human Rights

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the membership of the panel responsible for drawing up the shortlist of United Kingdom candidates for the European Court of Human Rights, indicating (a) whom they represent and (b) who appoints them. [147791]

Mr. Mullin: The panel comprises:

Sir Hayden Phillips (chair), Permanent Secretary to the Department for Constitutional Affairs;

Lord Justice Laws, Judge of the Court of Appeal;

Lord Cullen of Whitekirk, Lord President of the Court of Session;

Sir Michael Wood, Legal Adviser to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office;

Ms Joanne Foster CBE, former Chair of the Equal Opportunities Commission (lay member).

The composition of the panel was approved by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs.

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Libya

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of continuing activity in Libya between March and September 2003 aimed at developing a nuclear capability; and what assessment was made on where material and development assistance was coming from. [150529]

Mr. Straw: Under exemption 1 of Part 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information I am not prepared to comment on particular operations and discussions.

Nuclear-related Technology

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government take to monitor sales of nuclear-related technology by (a) Canada and (b) France. [148964]

Mr. MacShane: We take a keen interest in supplies to countries of proliferation concern, whatever the source. But the UK Government do not directly monitor sales of nuclear-related technology by Canada and France. Both countries are members of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) export control regime which controls the supply of nuclear-related items and technology.

NSG members undertake not to transfer sensitive items where there is a risk of diversion to acts of nuclear terrorism, to nuclear explosive activity, or unsafeguarded nuclear fuel cycle activity. They exchange notifications issued as a result of national decisions to deny transfers of sensitive items, and undertake not to approve identical exports without first consulting the state that issued the original denial notification. Further information can be found at: www.nuclearsuppliersgroup.org

Both states are also members of the Zangger Committee, which serves as the "faithful interpreter" of the Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to harmonise nuclear export controls for NPT parties. Committee members produce annual declarations that they have not transferred certain specified material to non-nuclear weapon states not party to the NPT. More information can be found at: www.zanggercommittee.org.

Olympic Games

Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will ensure that (a) the British Council and (b) the BBC World Service are included in the diplomatic initiatives to win the 2012 Olympics for London. [150789]

Mr. Mullin: The International Olympic Committee rules of conduct forbid international promotion of the bid until 15 November.

Officials will be working with the British Council over the coming months to consider ways in which we can work together to support the bid once promotion is allowed.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has no editorial control over the BBC World Service.

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Publicity Campaigns

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much each agency and non-departmental public body sponsored by his Department has spent on (i) advertising and publicity and (ii) information campaigns in each year from 1995–96 to 2003–04 (estimated); and if he will make a statement. [149922]

Mr. Rammell [holding answer 22 January 2004]: Budgets for Wilton Park, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's only agency, and our 10 non-departmental public bodies are not held centrally. To compile this information would incur disproportionate cost.

Sri Lanka

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effects of political tension between the Sri Lankan Prime Minister and President on the peace process and existing ceasefire. [151074]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: We support the Sri Lankan peace process both politically and practically and welcome the progress made since February 2002 when the ceasefire came into effect. We are concerned that the political dispute between President Kumaratunga and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe could have a detrimental effect on the process at a crucial stage. We continue to impress upon the two leaders the importance of resolving the underlying issues in a transparent way and of finding a rapid and positive way forward so that peace talks can resume as soon as possible. We are working closely with international partners to reinforce these messages. We are encouraged that the ceasefire continues to hold and we welcome the continued commitments of the President, Prime Minister and of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to the ceasefire and the peace process.

St. Helena

Mr. MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the modernising of the St. Helena constitution. [150095]

Mr. Rammell [holding answer 22 January 2004]: Councillors from St. Helena will be visiting London next week for a further round of talks with FCO officials on the proposed new Constitution. The intention is to have a new Constitution in place in time for the next dissolution of the Legislative Council in July 2005.

Mr. MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the principal reasons were for Her Majesty's Government's refusal to accept the St. Helena proposals for a new constitution. [150096]

Mr. Rammell [holding answer 22 January 2004]: Discussions are still in progress on a revised constitution for St. Helena. Two councillors from St. Helena,

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accompanied by their constitutional adviser, are due in London this week to participate in a further round of talks with Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials.

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