---

15 Mar 2004 : Column 36W—continued

NORTHERN IRELAND

School Meals

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he has taken to promote healthy eating in schools in Northern Ireland. [148764]

Jane Kennedy: When providing school meals, school authorities are currently required to comply with the nutritional standards produced by the Caroline Walker Trust. These aim to contribute to a better-balanced diet which contains more bread, cereals, other starchy foods, fruit and vegetables and which is rich in minerals and vitamins, and which has less fat, sugar and salty foods. Also, the Department of Education is about to initiate a pilot study for one calendar year from next March to determine how best to introduce new compulsory nutritional standards for school meals and ensure the best chance of success.

15 Mar 2004 : Column 37W

Health education is a compulsory element of the curriculum for all pupils. They are taught to make responsible decisions about their diet, and to know and understand the contribution of food to growth, energy and health.

Funding has also been obtained to develop Health Promoting Schools Schemes with particular attention to schools in areas of social need.

PRIME MINISTER

Law Officers' Advice Advice

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the (a) Ministers, (b) hon. Members other than Ministers and (c) other authorised persons who were provided with a full version of the Attorney-General's advice to Government on the legality of the military action against Iraq in March 2003. [161190]

The Prime Minister: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 9 March 2004, Official Report, column 1431W.

Departmental Staff

Mr. Letwin: To ask the Prime Minister what the (a) job titles and (b) salaries are of (i) Mr. Geoff Mulgan and (ii) Mr. Matthew Taylor; and whether they attended the launch of the book Growth Fetish by Mr. Clive Hamilton in an official capacity. [161236]

The Prime Minister: Geoff Mulgan is the Head of Policy at No. 10. Matthew Taylor is a senior special adviser.

In accordance with exemption 12 of Part 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, details of individual salaries are not disclosed in order to protect the privacy of the individuals concerned.

Geoff Mulgan attended the book launch in a personal capacity. Matthew Taylor did not attend the event.

Agricultural Subsidies

Bob Spink: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy during the United Kingdom's presidency of the EU, to remove agricultural protectionism from Europe as a means of promoting international development; and if he will make a statement. [161942]

The Prime Minister: The Government fully supports the aims of the World Trade Organisation's Doha Declaration aimed at substantial reductions in trade distorting agricultural subsidies and protection, and placing particular emphasis on the need to help developing countries.

Last June the EU agreed a major reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. One of the key aims of our Presidency will be to work towards agreement in the WTO which would significantly reduce barriers to agricultural trade and bring economic benefits to developing and developed countries alike.

15 Mar 2004 : Column 38W

Global Security

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister when he was first informed of the covert nuclear proliferation activities of Abdul Qadir Khan, to which he made reference in his speech on global security issues on 5 March. [161753]

The Prime Minister: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell), on 1 March 2004, Official Report, column 757W.

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister whether he has discussed with the other four permanent members of the United Nations Security Council the proposals for reform of the role of the United Nations set out in his speech on global security threats in Sedgefield on 5 March. [161754]

The Prime Minister: My discussions with the leaders of other permanent Members of the Security Council regularly deal with the need for effective collective action to address all threats to international peace and security. The Government are a long-standing supporter of reform in this area, for example through the principles I set out in 1999 to clarify the circumstances in which the international community can intervene to avert an overwhelming humanitarian catastrophe. I welcome the UN Secretary-General's decision to set up a High Level Panel to review how the UN can respond more effectively to threats to international peace and security. We will continue to promote this debate in discussions with our partners within and outside the Security Council.

Middle East

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister what matters in respect of (a) Israel's weapons of mass destruction and (b) the deployment of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East were discussed with the Palestinian Prime Minister on 8 March. [161179]

The Prime Minister: None. The priority of the meeting was to discuss with the Palestinian Prime Minister the Middle East Peace Process and efforts to move it forward.

Welsh Assembly

Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Prime Minister what recent assessment he has made of the implications of giving additional powers to the Welsh Assembly. [161194]

The Prime Minister: Since devolution on 1 July 1999, the Government have agreed to transfer additional functions to the National Assembly for Wales, including this past year responsibility for the fire service, student support and the Children and Family Courts Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS). They are also considering a request from the Assembly Government for the transfer of responsibility for Animal Health.

The Richard Commission established by the National Assembly for Wales to consider its powers and electoral arrangements is due to report to the Welsh Assembly Government soon. The Government will consider any representations which the Assembly Government may make in response to the Richard Commission's report.

15 Mar 2004 : Column 39W

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Conferences

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many conferences were hosted by the Department in the UK and abroad in the year to 29 February; and what the cost was of these conferences, broken down by (a) travel costs, (b) food and drink, (c) accommodation and (d) miscellaneous costs. [160796]

Mr. Straw: Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Services (Conferences and Events) has organised 14 conferences for the FCO in the period in question, one of which was held overseas. Total costs were: travel: £126,981.94; catering: £71,818.69; accommodation: £207,442.46; miscellaneous: £320,742.21.

The FCO's Executive Agency, Wilton Park, held 43 conferences in the UK on a wide range of international themes from March 2003 to February 2004. Costs are offset by conference sponsorship, both from FCO departments and from outside organisations. Total costs were: travel for speakers and participants £324,112; catering £125,000; accommodation £265,000; miscellaneous (running costs of staff and premises) £2,238,000.

Additionally, five Wilton Park conferences were held abroad in that period. Local conference partners meet the in-country costs for food, accommodation and miscellaneous costs.

FCO Directorates may opt to manage events from their own resources rather than ask FCO Services (Conferences and Events) to do so, but details of these events are not held centrally and can be collated only at disproportionate cost.

Israel

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the scale of the benefits to Israel of its preferential terms of trade with the European Union. [160164]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.

None.

Under the terms of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, goods originating in the State of Israel may be imported into the European Union at preferential rates of duty, including zero rates. Israeli exports to the UK were worth £911 million in 2002.

This agreement forms part of the broader relationship between the EU and 12 Mediterranean countries, known as the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership. Through a series of Association Agreements, each country will gain access to the EU market on an equal and non-discriminatory basis.

Cote d'Ivoire

Mr. Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had concerning the disarmament of rebel opposition forces in the Ivory Coast. [160267]

15 Mar 2004 : Column 40W

Mr. Mullin: UK officials and Ministers have regular discussions with key partners on a range of issues related to the peace process.

The UK fully supports the Linas Marcoussis Agreement (LMA) as the basis for sustainable peace in Cote d'lvoire. The LMA provides for a disarmament process, as well as a programme of legislation to address the underlying causes of the crisis. We welcome the steps that have been taken in recent months on both these issues. It is important that disarmament, demobilisation and re-integration, and progress in the wider peace process, continue in parallel. We urge all parties concerned to make early progress.

---