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Council of Europe
Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the United Kingdom and other member states were consulted by the Council of Europe over its decision to produce a hip-hop version of the European anthem; and what the (a) purpose and (b) cost of this production was. [151796]
Mr. MacShane [holding answer 2 December 2003]: According to the Council of Europe, the purpose of this project was to provide music for different European events and ceremonies and as background music for radio and television programmes with a European theme.
The United Kingdom Government was not consulted. I have been informed that the cost of producing the CD was Euro 7,000. If I had been consulted, I would have said that it was a waste of money.
General Affairs and External Relations Council
Mr. Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the outcome was of the General Affairs and External Relations Council held on 26–27 January; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including their voting record; and if he will make a statement. [151974]
Mr. MacShane: The information is as follows:
Outcome of the 26 January 2004 General Affairs and External Relations Council
My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I represented the UK at the General Affairs and External Relations Council in Brussels on 26 January 2004. My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for International Development represented the UK for the Orientation debate.
Conclusions were agreed on the Orientation debate; Western Balkans; Georgia; Middle East Peace Process; Afghanistan; Colombia; European Security Strategy; and conflict prevention in Africa.
Debate on operational programme of Council activities for 2004
The Council held a public debate on the annual operational programme, which the Irish and Dutch presidencies presented at the December GAERC. The programme aims to build on the work of the Greek and Italian presidencies from 2003. It covers the economic reform agenda, justice and home affairs, and external relations. The debate concentrated on implementation of the European Security Strategy and on conflict prevention in Africa.
Progress of work in other Council configurations
The presidency gave a standard progress report on work in other Councils. The report highlighted the results of the Transport, Telecommunications and
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Energy Council; the Agriculture and Fisheries Council; the Environment Council; and the Economic and Financial Affairs Council. There was no discussion.
The Council examined a draft Decision of the European Parliament on the Statute for Members of the European Parliament. In June 2003, the Council had indicated that it could not give its approval to an earlier draft of the Statute. In December the European Parliament proposed a number of amendments. The Council failed to reach the necessary qualified majority to agree the Statute. The presidency concluded that he would report this decision back to the EP.
The Under-Secretary of State for International Development represented the UK for the annual discussion on the effectiveness of EU external action programmes. This year's discussion was structured around three headings (i) EU leadership in progressing development issues multilaterally, (ii) maximising effectiveness of EU external assistance, and (iii) meeting the Millennium Development Goals. Conclusions were agreed on a number of steps to improve the effectiveness of EU aid; including the introduction of more transparent resource allocation.
High Representative, Javier Solana, reported on his visit to Iran on 12–13 January. Ministers welcomed steps taken by Iran, in the nuclear area (particularly the signature and implementation of the Additional Protocol to the Non-proliferation Treaty) but underlined the need for Iran to comply fully with the IAEA Board of Governors' November Resolution. The Council agreed to return to the issue after the next report on Iran's nuclear programme by Mohammed El Baradei, the IAEA Director-General. There was also discussion on the current political situation.
In line with the mandate of the 12–13 European Council, the GAERC discussed the embargo on the sale of arms to China. It invited the Permanent Representatives Committee and the Political and Security Committee to look into the matter, with a view to returning to the issue later in the year.
The presidency reported on the 25 January inauguration of President Saakashvili. High Representative Solana also gave a read out of his 14–15 January visit to Georgia. Conclusions were agreed which: provided for targeted assistance to Georgia, pressed for progress on economic reform and tackling corruption; and mandated the Commission to bring forward a recommendation on the relationship of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia to the European Neighbourhood Initiative before the end of the Irish presidency.
The presidency reported on its recent talks in Israel and Egypt. There was discussion on possible ways forward to overcome the current deadlock. Short Conclusions were adopted on the recent Israel-Hizbollah agreement to exchange prisoners. The
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Council expressed the hope that this exchange would clear the way for the resolution of all remaining issues between Israel and Lebanon concerning prisoners.
The Council adopted Conclusions on the 28 December Serbian parliamentary elections calling for the democratic parties to work together to ensure the early formation of a government committed to the reform agenda and to further progress towards EU membership. Conclusions also welcomed the successful launch of the EU police mission—PROXIMA—in Macedonia and the appointment of new EU Special Representative, Jesen-Peterson.
The High Representative also notified Ministers of the death of Commissioner Sven Frederiksen, the head of EU Police Mission in Bosnia.
High Representative Solana debriefed on his 14 January visit to Kabul. Conclusions were adopted welcoming the new constitution and calling for increased efforts to restore security ahead of the elections in the summer.
Commissioner Patten gave a report of his recent visit to Colombia.
Immigration
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people entered the UK from (a) Venezuela, (b) Suriname and (c) Bolivia in the latest year for which figures are available. [150805]
Beverley Hughes: I have been asked to reply.
The latest available information shows that a total of 27,900 Venezuelan nationals were admitted to the United Kingdom during 2002.
I regret that is not possible to identify nationals of Suriname and Bolivia separately in our admission statistics.
Data on passengers given leave to enter the United Kingdom are published in the Command Paper 'Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom 2002' (Cm6053), obtainable from the House Library, The Stationery Office and via the Home Office website http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/hobpubs1 .html
Intelligence Services
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will initiate a review of the operation of the secret intelligence services. [152314]
Mr. Straw: I am satisfied that the work carried out by the Intelligence Services continues to be an essential tool in protecting the nation's security, for instance, in countering the risks posed by terrorists, international criminals and drug dealers, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
Their work is underpinned by legislation, and subject to oversight by the Intelligence and Security Committee and by the Commissioners appointed under the
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Intelligence Services Act and the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act. These mechanisms serve to keep their work under continuing review.
Iraq
Mr. Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria were used to select British companies to carry out reconstruction work in Iraq. [150604]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: There are several different organisations involved in Iraq's reconstruction. British companies have won contracts from a number of these, including the Department for International Development, the Development Fund for Iraq, the US Government and the United Nations. Each organisation has its own criteria for selecting companies. All have used competitive bidding or existing contracts for reconstruction work in Iraq.
I will write to my hon. Friend with further details.
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place a transcript of his interview on the Today Programme on 26 January on Iraq in the Library. [151851]
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Special Intelligence Service has interviewed Iraqis who had worked in Saddam Hussein's programmes of weapons of mass destruction-related activities (a) prior to March 2003 and (b) since May 2003. [151852]
Mr. Straw: It is not the Government's policy to comment on the operations of the Intelligence Services. The Security and Intelligence Agencies are not within the scope of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (Paragraph 6, Part 1).
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether evidence of nuclear weapons of mass destruction programme-related activities have been discovered in Iraq by the Iraq Survey Group since the statement to the United Nations Security Council on 27th January 2003 by Dr. Mohamed El-Baradei on the status of nuclear inspections in Iraq. [151968]
Mr. MacShane: In his interim report of 2 October 2003, Dr. David Kay reported that the Iraq Survey Group (ISG) had uncovered evidence that a senior scientist at the Iraq Atomic Energy Agency, Dr. Sa'id, had started work on several small and relatively unsophisticated research initiatives in 2000 that could be applied to nuclear weapons development, and which could have been useful in developing a weapons-relevant science base for the long-term.
Dr. Kay also referred to uncovering evidence of a number of other steps taken by Iraq to preserve some technological capability from its earlier nuclear weapons programme. Iraqi scientists and senior government officials have told the ISG that Saddam Hussein remained firmly committed to acquiring nuclear weapons.
The text of Dr. Kay's interim report can be found on the CIA internet website at www.cia.gov.
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Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what specific steps have been taken by the Iraq Survey Group to follow up the unresolved disarmament issues in respect of (a) VX nerve agent, (b) thiodiglycol mustard gas precursor, (c) anthrax, (d) Al Samoud 2 rockets and (e) Al Fatah rockets presented to the United Nations Security Council by Dr. Hans Blix on 27 January 2003. [151969]
Mr. MacShane: The Iraq Survey Group is continuing to search for any evidence of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction and programmes for their production. The Iraq Survey Group produced an interim report on its findings in October 2003.
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