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10 Mar 2004 : Column 1531W—continued
Kurdish Independence
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Kurdish independence within a federal Iraq following the publication of the draft interim national constitution. [158554]
Mr. Rammell: The long term political structure of Iraq will be determined by the Transitional National Assembly due to be elected by January 2005. However, the Transitional Administrative Law recognises the administrative and legislative functions of the Kurdistan Regional Government, which is recognised as the official regional government of those territories that were administered by that Government as of 19 March 2003.
Functions performed by the Kurdistan Regional Government shall continue to be exercised throughout the transitional period, except over those issues which fall within the exclusive competence of the central federal government as specified in the Transitional Administrative Law.
Temporary Staff
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff the Department employs on a temporary basis through employment agencies; what percentage this is of total staff employed; and how much the Department paid employment agencies to supply temporary staff in (a) 2001–02, (b) 2002–03 and (c) 2003–04 to the most recent date for which figures are available. [158239]
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Mr. Mike O'Brien: We do not have a central record of the numbers of staff employed under contract from agencies; to obtain these figures would incur disproportionate costs. However the cost of temporary staff supplied to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is:
| Financial year | Agency costs (£) |
|---|---|
| 2001–02 | 1,933,841 |
| 2002–03 | 1,850,779 |
| 2003–04 (until end November 2003) | 1,063,713 |
Ukraine
Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans his Department has to develop closer (a) economic and (b) trading ties with the Ukraine; and if he will make a statement. [159544]
Mr. MacShane: Economic and trade ties between the UK and Ukraine are developing. For example, a Birmingham Chamber of Commerce trade mission visited Ukraine in February. Also the UK is a major investor in Ukraine, notably through BP's partnership with the Russian company TNK and through direct investments in Ukraine by the UK oil and gas company JKX. Trade will develop once Ukraine accedes to the WTO. The EU signed a bilateral WTO protocol with Ukraine last year; Ukraine is negotiating with other WTO members. The EU-Ukraine Partnership and Co-operation Agreement provides for an eventual Free Trade Agreement.
Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of the Ukraine concerning its future membership of the European Union; and what (a) advice he plans to give and (b) co-operation he plans to undertake with the Ukraine in this matter. [159545]
Mr. MacShane: The UK has regular contacts with Ukraine at official and ministerial level, at which Ukraine's relationship with the EU is often discussed. I visited Ukraine on 14 and 15 September 2003. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Kostyantyn Gryshchenko on 12 January 2004.
Ukraine has a long way to go before the question of EU membership can be addressed. For now, Ukraine should focus on domestic reform and developing closer relations with the EU both through implementation of its Partnership and Co-operation Agreement and through full participation in the new European Neighbourhood Policy, which is aimed at strengthening the EU's relations with its neighbours.
The Foreign Secretary made clear to Foreign Minister Gryshchenko in January that closer relations between Ukraine and the EU will depend on Ukraine's democratic process and its progress with democratic and other reforms. The extent to which the 2004 presidential elections are free and fair will be a crucial test.
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The UK has committed almost £3 million to help create an environment in which elections can be more democratic, including by enabling the independent Ukrainian media to expose electoral malpractice. Of this amount, some £600,000 directly targets the 2004 presidential election. The UK will also provide support to international election monitoring.
Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of the Ukraine concerning its future membership of NATO; and what his policy is on such membership. [159546]
Mr. MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed NATO issues with the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kostyantyn Gryshchenko in January.
We welcome Ukraine's determination to pursue full Euro-Atlantic integration. The UK continues to work closely with Ukraine and NATO Allies to promote full implementation of the NATO-Ukraine Action Plan launched at the Prague Summit in November 2002.
Any enhancement of NATO-Ukraine relations needs to be based on a shared commitment to Euro-Atlantic values and standards. The extent to which the 2004 presidential elections are free and fair will be a crucial test of Ukraine's readiness for a closer relationship with NATO.
Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to visit the Ukraine; and if he will make a statement. [159547]
Mr. MacShane: I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Canterbury (Mr. Brazier) on 10 February 2004, Official Report, column 1308W.
United Nations
Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether there have been breaches by the UK of the (a) Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations 1946 and (b) Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961 in the last two years. [159378]
Mr. Straw: The United Kingdom is obliged to comply with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961 and the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations 1946 in accordance with international law. There have been a small number of cases where, through administrative error, arriving diplomats have been referred for medical checks or had their personal effects opened in a manner not in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. On each occasion the matter was amicably resolved after the Foreign and Commonwealth Office apologised to the diplomatic mission concerned.
US Visas
Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of (a) British passport holders and (b) British journalists who visited the USA in each of the last five years; if he will make a statement on the new visa arrangements for travel from the UK to the
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US; and what assessment he has made of the effect of the new arrangements on the timescale for issuing US visas to UK citizens. [159156]
Mr. Mullin: The Office for National Statistics estimates the number of UK residents visiting the US in each of the last five years as:
| Number of UK residents (million) | |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 4.73 |
| 2000 | 5.06 |
| 2001 | 4.66 |
| 2002 | 4.21 |
| 2003 | 3.8 |
It is not possible to break these figures down between British Citizens, other British Nationals and others resident in the UK, or give figures for British passport holders who travelled to the US from another country in which they are normally resident.
The US embassy in London issued the following numbers of five-year multiple entry visas to 'representatives of the media':
| Number of visas issued | |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 1,906 |
| 2000 | 2,034 |
| 2001 | 2,078 |
| 2002 | 1,816 |
| 2003 | 2,001 |
My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has expressed concern to US Secretary of State Colin Powell at the effect of changes to the US Visa Waiver Programme due to come into effect on 26 October 2004. Discussions are under way with the US authorities. It is too early to predict the outcome.
Westminster Hall
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to have senior Ministers reply to debates in Westminster Hall. [159620]
Mr. Straw: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House gave on 8 March 2004, Official Report, column 1234W.
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Climate Change
Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the national security implications of climate change. [157945]
Mr. Morley: Across Government, we are carrying out internal assessments to identify how policy and operational responsibilities in all Departments could be affected by climate change. This process is currently reporting, and has included both the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The MOD is continuing to look at the implications of climate change for national security.
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Some of the potential linkages between climate change and security include increased pressure on food and water resources and energy supplies, which in turn (and in combination with other factors) may contribute to the causes of migration, instability and conflict.
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