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India/Pakistan

22. Colin Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his assessment is of the current state of the relationship between India and Pakistan. [157434]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: We warmly welcome the 18 February announcement that India and Pakistan have agreed an agenda and a timetable for substantive talks to commence after the Indian General Election. This consolidates the breakthrough announced by President Musharraf and Prime Minister Vajpayee in January, and shows the willingness of both countries to address each other's concerns through peaceful engagement. We appreciate that there will be no quick or easy solutions, but wish both governments well and hope that the talks will be sustained and, in due course, lead to the resolution of all their outstanding differences, including over Kashmir.

Antarctica

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many visitors there were to Antarctica in each year since 1995; and what projections are available for future years. [157730]

Mr. Rammell: The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) has published the following figures on tourist visitors to Antarctica:

Antarctic austral season	Number of visitors(estimated actual figures)
1995–96	9,367
1996–97	7,413
1997–98	9,604
1998–99	10,013
1999–2000	13,826
2000–01	12,248
2001–02	11,588
2002–03	13,571

These figures include ship and land-based passenger numbers. Commercial yacht activity is included from 1997–98, and 2002–03 figures include airborne passengers making landings.

IAATO estimates that visitor numbers will increase to 20,818 for 2003–04 and 21,216 for 2004–05. However, the biggest growth in the tourist industry over the next decade is expected to be large ships and over-flights, which do not land passengers in Antarctica.

China

Mr. Wilkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the EU-People's Republic of China Dialogue. [157410]

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Mr. Straw: I welcome the recent round of the EU/China Human Rights Dialogue which took place in Dublin on 26/27 February. The bi-annual dialogue allows the EU to raise its human rights concerns regularly with China. In addition to the usual agenda on a wide range of human rights issues, the Presidency focused on China's ratification of the ICCPR. The Presidency also handed over a list of individual cases.

Colombia

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what visits have been made to the areas of conflict in Colombia by UK diplomatic representatives in the past year. [157710]

Mr. Rammell: Members of the diplomatic staff at our Embassy in Bogota travel around Colombia as widely and as frequently as they can within the constraints of local security conditions. In the past year, Embassy staff have carried out many visits outside of Bogotá, including to a range of other cities in Colombia and where possible into areas where the effects of the conflict are greatest. In the latter category, areas visited include: Cucuta, Choco, San Vicente del Caguán, Arauca and Saravena, northern Cundinamarca (Pacho), Barrancabermeja, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Amazonas, La Guajira, Monteria (Cordoba) and Antioquia; all places which have seen serious conflict in recent months.

Diego Garcia

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many of the current population of Diego Garcia are (a) US military personnel, (b) UK military personnel, (c) civilian workers and (d) detainees; and if he will make a statement. [157690]

Mr. Rammell: The current population on the island of Diego Garcia consists of:

(a) approx 1,400 US military personnel

(b) approx 40 UK military personnel

(c) approx 1,800 civilian workers (mainly of Mauritian and Filipino nationality).

There are no detainees in Diego Garcia or elsewhere in the British Indian Ocean Territory.

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have been held with (a) the Chagos Refugee Association and (b) other groups on the possibility of return to Diego Garcia and the Chagos Islands of the original inhabitants and their descendants; and if he will make a statement. [157708]

Mr. Rammell: We have held many discussions with representatives of the Chagos Refugees Group, and with other persons claiming to represent the views of the Chagossian community. In that context, a team of independent experts was commissioned in April 2000 to carry out a study of the feasibility of a return to the Chagos Islands. Their report on the second phase of their study was delivered in June 2002.

In the meantime, various members of the Chagossian community, including the leaders of the Chagos Refugee Group, initiated legal proceedings against the Government in the High Court, raising, among other

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things, issues relating to such a return. Though the High Court has given summary judgement in favour of the Government in these proceedings, the claimants have applied for leave to appeal and their application is still pending. No final decision has been taken on the future of the feasibility study.

EU Constitution (Solidarity Clause)

Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is the Government's policy to support a solidarity clause in the constitutional treaty between EU member states in the event of attack. [157111]

Mr. MacShane: The Government support the proposal to establish a solidarity clause, on the basis of the language for the draft Constitutional Treaty for the EU, presented by the Italian presidency to the Inter Governmental Conference in December.

Free Movement of Workers

Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what transitional arrangements for the free movement of workers from relevant states among the countries acceding to the European Union have been put in place by (a) Ireland, (b) Denmark, (c) Sweden, (d) Finland, (e) Germany, (f) Austria, (g) the Netherlands, (h) Belgium, (i) Luxembourg, (j) France, (k) Spain, (l) Portugal, (m) Italy and (n) Greece; what transitional arrangements EU partners have indicated they will put in place; and if he will make a statement. [154171]

Mr. MacShane: After Accession on 1 May, nationals from the ten new EU member states will be able to travel freely throughout the EU. However, except for nationals of Malta and Cyprus, they will not automatically be allowed to work in the existing member states. Those existing member states may, however, open their labour markets to nationals from the new member states if they so choose.

(a) Ireland will open their labour markets to nationals from the new member states.

(b) Denmark will open its labour market from 1 May, but has decided to impose a new administrative set-up with work and residence permits for new EU citizens. Citizens from the new member states will be able to stay in Denmark for a six month job-seeking period during which they will not be entitled to social benefit. This rule also applies to other EU citizens. A Work and Residence Permit will be granted for one year (as opposed to five year residence certificate for present EU member states' citizens) only if the person concerned has found a job and will be employed on the same pay and working conditions as those applying on the Danish labour market.

(c) Sweden will open its labour market from 1 May, but the Swedish Government has signalled its intention to introduce transitional arrangements for workers from the new member states. It has yet to bring forward formal proposals.

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(d) Finland will impose a two-year transition period and existing controls on workers from eight of the ten new member states will apply. No restrictions will apply to citizens of Malta and Cyprus.

(e) Germany will apply a transition period for two years, which may be extended to seven. Existing controls on workers from the relevant eight new member states will apply.

(f) Austria will apply a transition period of at least two years. After that, it has indicated that it will follow Germany's lead.

(g) The Netherlands is not imposing a transition period. The Dutch Cabinet agreed on 23 January to introduce a system of work permits for workers from new member states from 1 May. But this proposal was rejected by the Dutch Parliament on 9 February that asked for tougher measures. On 13 February the Dutch Government came forward with new proposals which will only allow workers from new member states to work in sectors where there is a shortage of available suitably qualified Dutch or EU nationals. The Centres for Work and Income (Job Centre Plus equivalent) will decide which sectors have such a shortfall. These regulations will be effective from 1 May 2004 to 1 May 2006. An evaluation of the system will take place before 1 May 2005 to see if these restrictions can be relaxed earlier.

(h) Belgium will impose a transition period of at least two years.

(i) Luxembourg will impose a transition period of at least two years.

(j) France will impose a transition period of at least two years.

(k) Spain will apply a transition period for two years. Depending on developments in the labour market, they may allow new member states citizens full rights to work before the end of the transition period. Spain has a bilateral agreement with Poland to allow a limited number of Poles to work in Spain.

(l) Portugal has yet to decide whether it will open up its labour market to workers from the eight new member states.

(m) Italy has yet to decide whether it will open up its labour market to workers from the eight new member states.

(n) Greece is imposing a two year transition period.

My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary made clear UK Government policy in this House on 23 February 2004, Official Report, columns 23–25. The UK has decided to allow free movement of workers to those who genuinely want to come and work here. Genuine workers from the eight new member states will be allowed access to the UK labour market via a workers registration system. This will benefit the UK economy, expanding the range of skills and supply of workers available across the UK.

Maltese and Cypriot nationals will be free to work anywhere in the EU.

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