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State Visits
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what plans he has to accompany Her Majesty the Queen on State visits in the next two years; [150387]
- (2) what overseas visits are planned for Her Majesty the Queen during the next two years. [150390]
Mr. Straw: Her Majesty The Queen announced in her Gracious Speech at the State Opening of Parliament that she is to make a State Visit to France from 5 to 7 April 2004 to mark the official start of events commemorating the Centenary of the Entente Cordiale. I will accompany her on that visit.
At the Anglo/French summit on 24 November 2003, Her Majesty was invited by President Chirac of France to attend the 60th anniversary commemoration of the Normandy Landings on 6 June.
Beyond that, the forward programme of visits by Her Majesty is not yet finalised. In the normal course of events I would accompany Her Majesty on State Visits, as I did on Her Majesty's State visit to Nigeria in December 2003.
Ukraine
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what records (a) his Department has and (b) have been released on the extent to which the Department was aware of the scale of loss of life as a result of Soviet policy in the Ukraine in 1932–33; whether all relevant documentation has been released; and if he will make a statement. [150926]
Mr. MacShane: Records relating to Soviet policy in the Ukraine in 1932–33 are contained in the archives of the Foreign Office's then Northern Department. There are approximately 65 files, all of which have long been in the public domain at The National Archives. No papers have been withheld from these files. Indeed, some documents pertaining to the famine were published in the FCO's official series "Documents on British Foreign Policy 1919–39" in 1958 (Series II, Volume VII).
UN Security Council Resolution 1325
Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is in relation to UN Security Council Resolution 1325, with particular reference to Iraq and Afghanistan. [150773]
Mr. Rammell: The United Kingdom is committed to working towards the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) and ensuring that the necessary mechanisms are in place for monitoring progress.
The situation of Afghan women and girls has developed significantly in the last two years. On 5 March 2003, Afghanistan ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
23 per cent. of the delegates to the Constitutional Loya Jirga were women from across Afghanistan. Articles 22, 43 and 44 of the new constitution, agreed on 4 January, establish equal rights for men and women, which also
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reflected many of the recommendations of the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on violence against women. The Afghan Transitional Administration and international community are committed to providing the security and resources needed to support implementation of the new constitution, and to develop effective mechanisms to tackle continuing human rights violations and abuses, including those against women.
The UK is working to encourage Afghan women to take their rightful role in the forthcoming elections. This includes ensuring that women and men are included in voter registration programmes, that they develop the capacities to participate as campaigners and officials and that women are empowered to take advantage of their quotas for representation in Parliament.
We are also supporting the Afghan Judicial Commission in its work to improve access to justice for all Afghan communities, taking into account the special needs of women.
The UK actively seeks to deploy female British officers to peacekeeping missions and other conflict prevention/resolution operations. This has included a senior gender expert working with the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) in Baghdad, We try to ensure that those members of the various UK teams in Iraq, especially those working in or with the CPA, are fully briefed on the gender aspects of their work. The UK's Special Representative, Sir Jeremy Greenstock recently met my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Minister for Women and Equality, a representative group of Iraqi women, and representatives of UK non-governmental organisations, including the Women's National Commission, active in the field.
Encouraging Iraqi women to participate fully in the reconstruction of their country is a key aim of the Government's conflict prevention strategy for Iraq.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Reinstatement Committees
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 19 January 2004, Official Report, column 922W, on reinstatement committees, if she will make a statement on the training regime undergone by members of employment tribunals, with particular reference to reinstatement committees. [150208]
Mr. Sutcliffe: There is little to add to my previous answer. The chairmen of employment tribunals are trained to research the relevant law as necessary before any hearing and to give guidance to the lay members on the relevant legal principles and their application to any particular case.
Business Link
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many Business Link organisations are in operation; and how much money was spent by each of them in each year since their formation. [148197]
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Nigel Griffiths: There are 42 Business Link Operators (BLOs) delivering local business support services in 45 sub-regions in England, with three BLOs operating in two areas.
The following table shows the total expenditure on BL branded activity by sub region including that supported by non-DTI funding, for the last two financial years. The Business Link network was re-engineered and the new BLOs operational from 26 March 2001.
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Based upon quarterly financial returns provided by BLOs to the Small Business Service, DTI.
Emissions Trading Directive
Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions her Department has had with the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs regarding the EU Emissions Trading Directive. [147603]
Mr. Timms: Defra and DTI have a joint public service agreement that commits to moving towards a 20 per cent. reduction in CO2 emissions by 2010. The EU ETS represents a central element in Government plans for reducing emissions. DTI and Defra have worked together very closely, with other Government Departments and the Devolved Administrations, to ensure that the appropriate arrangements are in place for the successful implementation of the EU ETS.
Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment her Department has made of the impact that the EU Emissions Trading Directive will have on the United Kingdom glass industry. [147609]
Mr. Timms: The EU Emissions trading scheme (ETS) is a cost-effective approach to ensuring emissions of greenhouse gas fall to target levels. The impact on individual sectors has been considered during work to prepare for the introduction of the EU ETS. A draft National Allocation Plan has been released and sectors will be able to comment on the allocation proposed for them. Analytical work on the competitiveness implications will also be released shortly.
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