---

22 Mar 2004 : Column 555W—continued

Falkland Islands

Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the availability of (a) charter and (b) scheduled flights to the Falkland Islands; and what plans Her Majesty's Government has to bring about an increase in the (i) capacity and (ii) frequency of flights to the Islands. [162635]

Mr. Rammell: No charter flights are currently operating to and from the Falkland Islands. One weekly Lan Chile scheduled service operates between Chile and the Falkland Islands. There is also a regular flight between the UK and the Falkland Islands, via Ascension Island. The Falkland Island Development Corporation and Her Majesty's Government continue to look at ways of increasing the capacity and frequency of flights to the Falkland Islands.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to my recent written statements of 19 January 2004, Official Report, columns 51–52WS and 1 March 2004, Official Report, columns 73–74WS.

22 Mar 2004 : Column 556W

Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to Argentina about the introduction of an open skies policy on charter flights to the Falkland Islands; and if he will make a statement. [162636]

Mr. Rammell: I discussed charter flights with Argentine Foreign Minister Bielsa during my recent visit to Argentina. I refer the hon. Gentleman to my written statement of 1 March on the issue of air links between the Falkland Islands and mainland South America, Official Report, columns 73–74WS.

Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the Argentine Government's policy on use of its airspace by (a) charter and (b) scheduled flights to the Falkland Island originating in Chile. [162637]

Mr. Rammell: The weekly Lan Chile flights between Chile and the Falkland Islands are covered by the UK/Argentina 1999 Joint Statement. On charter flights, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the written statement I made on 1 March on the issue of air links between the Falkland Islands and mainland South America, Official Report, columns 73–74WS.

Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government not to enter into negotiations with the Government of Argentina on sovereignty of the Falkland Islands; and if he will make a statement. [162638]

Mr. Rammell: It is the policy of Her Majesty's Government not to enter into negotiations with the Government of Argentina on sovereignty of the Falkland Islands. Her Majesty's Government have no doubts about their sovereignty of the Falkland Islands and their surrounding maritime areas.

Guatemala

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of progress in improving human rights in Guatemala. [162608]

Mr. Rammell: 2003 was a poor year for human rights in Guatemala. There was much violence in the run up to the presidential elections in November and December 2003. However, we have noted positively the efforts President Berger has made since his inauguration on 14 January to improve human rights in Guatemala.

Berger's first public act as President was to declare his commitment to the Guatemalan Peace Accords signed in 1996, and on 25 February he announced the establishment of a new national commission to oversee implementation of the Accords. Given the undertakings in the Peace Accords this should help improve the human rights in particular of indigenous groups. President Berger has appointed a respected human rights campaigner, Frank la Rue, as his Presidential Commissioner on Human Rights. I welcome this appointment.

When I visited Guatemala in January, 1 stressed the importance of human rights issues to the new Vice-President. We have also encouraged the new Guatemalan

22 Mar 2004 : Column 557W

Government to implement in full the 1996 Peace Accords. Our Embassy in Guatemala City will continue to monitor human rights closely.

Human Rights

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to support the (a) adoption and (b) implementation within an agreed timescale of the UN norms on the responsibilities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises with regard to human rights when it is forwarded to the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva; and if he will make a statement. [162292]

Mr. Rammell: The Government are strong supporters of responsible business behaviour and are actively involved in initiatives to promote this. The Draft Norms raise complex issues because they purport to make business directly responsible for human rights. It is States which have obligations under international human rights law to ensure human rights to everyone within their territory and jurisdiction. We believe that States should remain responsible for domestic legislation to regulate the behaviour of private actors in their jurisdiction, including multinational companies. We also believe that according human rights obligations to private business enterprises in international law could be used by certain States to avoid their own obligations and to distract the focus from human rights abuses by States. We therefore believe that it would be detrimental to the advancement of international human rights law if the draft norms were to be adopted by the Commission on Human Rights. However, we shall be working with other Members of the Commission to try to identify a constructive process for addressing issues raised by the Norms, which would command wider acceptance among all stakeholders, including Governments and business as well as NGOs.

Iranian Nuclear Programme

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the (a) matters discussed and (b) outcome of the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors' consideration of the Iranian nuclear programme on 10–11 March. [161757]

Mr. Rammell: Intensive discussions took place with our EU partners, the US and other members of the Board to produce an agreed text for a Resolution on the Iranian nuclear programme based on the report of the findings of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General. The Resolution was adopted by consensus on 13 March.

The text of the Resolution can be found on the IAEA website at www.iaea.org.

Middle East

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of settlement activity in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in the past six months. [162058]

Mr. Rammell: Expansion of settlements and building of outposts have continued in the last six months. As we have made clear, we consider all settlements in the Occupied Territories illegal under international law and

22 Mar 2004 : Column 558W

an obstacle to a comprehensive peace in the region. The Government regularly presses the Israeli Government to freeze settlement activity and dismantle outposts in line with Israel's commitments under the roadmap.

Both sides need to implement their obligations under the roadmap without delay. We welcome Prime Minister Sharon's reiteration of Israel's commitment to the roadmap and his subsequent announcement that he will remove settlements in Gaza. We would warmly welcome a withdrawal of settlers and the Israeli Defence Force from Gaza to Israel as part of implementation of the Roadmap.

Science Strategy

Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to enhance science in his Department since the publication of the Government's science strategy Investing in Innovation. [162248]

Mr. Rammell: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to his related question on 19 November 2003, Official Report, column 1058W.

Since the publication of Investing in Innovation in July 2002 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has continued to expand its Science and Technology network in its posts overseas. There are now nearly 40 attachés in over 20 countries, plus other posts around the world, who are developing Science and Technology activities in support of FCO objectives. The network reports to a wide customer base and works with a number of UK organisations with an interest in Science and Technology overseas. These include Government Departments, parliamentary and devolved institutions, public sector bodies, universities, research and trade organisations and industry. Examples of the work done by the Science and Technology network include: a major campaign to promote UK biosciences in 2003 to mark the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the structure of DNA; lobbying to promote the UK position on cloning before the debates in the UN General Assembly; organising events to explain the science of climate change; and contributing to international negotiations on the site of the proposed International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor.

The FCO works in close partnership with the Office of Science and Technology, the Department of Trade and Industry (especially its team of International Technology Promoters), UK Trade and Investment, the British Council and the Research Councils. The FCO Science and Technology network is working with partners to develop the international dimension of the Government's Innovation Strategy and Investment Framework for Science. The FCO is represented on two new Whitehall committees which have been set up to co-ordinate interests in international Science and Technology: the Chief Scientific Adviser's International Committee and the International Science Technology Trade and Investment Committee. The FCO will also take part in the new Ministerial Group on Innovation and the Knowledge Economy.

---