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8 Mar 2004 : Column 1324W—continued
Turkey
Mr. Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the (a) administration of justice and (b) protection of the rights of overseas investors in Turkey. [158902]
Mr. MacShane: In its push to open accession negotiations with the European Union, Turkey continues to make determined efforts to improve the business environment for its overseas investors. This includes legal measures to simplify procedures for foreign investors and institutional reform to strengthen the rule of law.
We are aware of a few specific cases where British investors have faced difficulties in Turkey and we have raised these with the Turkish authorities.
Recent developments in Turkey include: a Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) law passed in 2003; efforts to set up an FDI promotion agency; and, on 15 March in Istanbul, an Investors Council, chaired by the World
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Bank and the IMF, to give leading foreign investors in Turkey an opportunity to make recommendations to the Turkish authorities.
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has made to the Turkish Government on the detention and imprisonment of Mr. Abdullah Ocalan. [159247]
Mr. MacShane: We raised the subject of the detention of Mr. Ocalan with the Turkish State Minister responsible for Human Rights in February 1999 and sought assurances that he would receive a fair trial and that his physical safety would be assured. British embassy staff also attended the trial.
Regarding his on-going imprisonment, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Richmond Park (Dr. Tonge) on 5 March 2004, Official Report, column 1192W.
We have not made representations to the Turkish Government regarding the imprisonment. We do, however, continue to monitor the situation closely, including through discussions with Mr. Ocalan's lawyer.
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Turkish Government on the case of the detention of Leyla Zana, a Kurdish member of the Turkish Parliament. [159250]
Mr. MacShane: We regularly raise the case of Leyla Zana and her fellow DEP, MPs at Ministerial and official level. I underlined the importance of speeding up progress and ensuring impartiality with Foreign Minister Gul during my visit to Turkey in January 2004. Our Ambassador has also raised the case with Justice Minister Cicek. British embassy officials attend trial hearings and maintain close contact with Leyla Zana's lawyer, whom I also met.
UN General Assembly Resolutions
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how the United Kingdom voted on United Nations General Assembly Resolution 58/40 (L12) in the UN First Committee on 27 October 2003 on the prohibition of the dumping of radioactive waste, and combating the hazards of radioactive wastes used in radiological warfare; and if he will make a statement. [151850]
Mr. Rammell: The United Kingdom joined consensus on United Nations General Assembly Resolution 58/40 (LI2) in the UN First Committee on 27 October 2003 on the prohibition of the dumping of radioactive waste, and combating the hazards of radioactive wastes used in radiological warfare.
On 12 March 2001 the UK ratified the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management which was negotiated under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The convention's primary objective is to achieve and maintain a high level of safety worldwide in spent fuel and radioactive waste management. It came into force on 18 June 2001. The UK's first national report,
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demonstrating our compliance with the convention, was provided to the IAEA in May 2003. National reports are subject to a process of peer review and are updated every three years.
ELECTORAL COMMISSION
Elections
Simon Hughes: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what steps the Commission is taking to improve voter turnout in June for (a) the London Assembly elections, (b) European elections, (c) Mayoral elections and (d) other local elections. [159235]
Mr. Viggers: The Electoral Commission has a duty under section 13 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 to "promote public awareness of:
- (a) current electoral systems in the United Kingdom and any pending such systems, together with such matters connected with any such existing or pending systems as the Commission may determine;
- (b) current systems of local government and national government in the United Kingdom and any pending such systems; and
- (c) the institutions of the European Union."
To this end, I understand from the Chairman of the Commission that it will be running a UK-wide voter awareness campaign, comprising TV and press advertising, leaflets distributed to public places, PR, and outreach work targeting young 'hard to reach' audiences. This activity will be supported by a national telephone call centre and an elections website, from which members of the public will be able to find out which elections are taking place in their area on 10 June, how to register, how to vote, and what roles and powers are held by each of the democratic institutions being elected. The website will also carry links to other sites of relevance to the June elections.
HEALTH
Abortion
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many girls under the age of 16 had abortions in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [155176]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The information is shown in the table.
| Total | |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 3,645 |
| 1997 | 3,434 |
| 1998 | 3,759 |
| 1999 | 3,603 |
| 2000 | 3,748 |
| 2001 | 3,658 |
| 2002 | 3,514 |
Source:
Data provided by Department of Health, Statistical Division.
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Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish the national Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy. [159283]
Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 5 March 2004]: The Government's Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England is due to be published and implemented from 2004, in accordance with the timetable set out in the NHS Plan. This strategy will set the future direction for the development of alcohol prevention and treatment for all groups in the population.
Benzodiazepines
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has issued to clinicians on the prescribing of benzodiazepines over the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [155155]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Committee on the Safety of Medicines' advice of 1988 has been reiterated in the "Drug Misuse and Dependence—Guidelines on Clinical Management" (1999) and in the "British National Formulary", which is sent to all doctors within the national health service biannually.
The advice has been restated in the Chief Medical Officer's Update dated January 2004, which announced that the Department is planning to introduce instalment dispensing of benzodiazepines to minimise access to excessive doses.
Blood Glucose Test Strips
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to withdraw the free distribution of blood glucose test strips; and if he will make a statement. [158823]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Blood glucose testing strips will remain available free of charge to those people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes whose condition is controlled by insulin or tablets. Those people who have type 2 diabetes that is controlled by diet alone are not exempt from National Health Service prescription charges on that basis.
We have no plans to remove blood glucose testing strips form NHS prescriptions.
Breast Feeding
Sandra Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research the Department has conducted on a potential link between decreasing breast feeding rates and increasing obesity rates among children. [158027]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The Department has not commissioned any research directly on a potential link between decreasing breastfeeding rates and increasing obesity rates among children.
Women in lower socio-economic groups (social class V) are more likely to be overweight or obese and they are less likely to breastfeed. Breastfeeding rates are increasing and the Infant Feeding Survey 2000 showed that there was a significant increase in the incidence of breastfeeding in social class V, from 50 per cent. in 1995 to 59 per cent. in 2000.
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The Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy suggested in its report on the Scientific Review of the Welfare Food Scheme that breastfed infants are less likely to become overweight as children.
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