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27 May 2004 : Column 1813W—continued
Israel
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has held with the Israeli Government about the situation of the Bedouins in the Negev. [175203]
Mr. MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not recently raised this issue with the Israeli Government. In August 2003 our embassy in Tel Aviv raised with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs the situation of the Bedouin, including plans for development of the Negev, and government action to improve the standard of health among the Bedouin. During her visit to Israel in October 2003, my noble Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean discussed the plight of the Bedu with representatives of several Israeli human rights groups.
Departmental Buildings
Mr. Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many buildings in England owned by his Department are used at less than 25 per cent. capacity for more than three months of the year. [175981]
EU Enlargement (Benefit Restriction)
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what factors underlay the decision of the Government to restrict benefit opportunities for nationals of EU accession states; and if he will make a statement. [161352]
Mr. Pond: I have been asked to reply
The Government strongly support the accession to the European Union of the new member states. We intend to open our borders to those who genuinely want to come and work here. This will benefit the UK
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economy, expanding the range of skills and supply of workers available across the UK. People from the accession countries who are legally working in the UK will have the right to reside in the UK while in work.
However, we need to take measures to protect our social security system from possible abuse. Regulations were laid on 30 April 2004 making it a requirement that a person has the right to reside in the UK, as well as being habitually resident, in order to claim income-related benefits. Workers who are legally working in the UK and who are on low income may qualify for housing benefit and council tax benefit as well as child benefit and tax credits.
Iraq
Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who is responsible for deciding on the use of oil assets in Iraq. [174045]
Mr. Mullin: As agreed in UNSCR 1483, DFI funds are disbursed at the direction of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), in consultation with the Iraqi interim administration, to meet the needs of the Iraqi people. UNSCR 1483 also noted the establishment of an audit oversight body for the DFI—the International Advisory and Monitoring Board (IAMB). The IAMB is charged with ensuring that DFI funds are used in a transparent manner and for the purposes for which they were disbursed.
The Iraqi Ministry of Finance and of Planning and Development Co-operation working with the CPA have published Budgets for 2003 and 2004 which outline the use of oil revenues in public expenditure in Iraq (Budget information can be found on the CPA website at http://www.cpa-iraq.org/budget/). In addition a Programme Review Board (PRB) has been established to enable emergency off-budget expenditure (decisions made by the PRB can be found at http://www.cpa-iraq.org/budget/program review board.html).
Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many barrels of oil have been exported from Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein; what value this represents; and what use has been made of these funds within Iraq. [174046]
Mr. Mullin: All proceeds from the export sale of Iraq's oil are deposited in the Development Fund for Iraq (DFI), as agreed in United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1483. As of 17 May 2004 approximately US$ 9.4 billion had been deposited into the DFI from the export sale of oil since 28 May 2003.
Information on the volume of oil exports from Iraq by month can be found on the US Department of Defense website at http://www.defendamerica.mil/. Average crude oil exports for each month since June 2003 to April 2004 are as follows:
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As determined in UNSCR 1483 all DFI funds are to be used in a transparent manner to meet the needs of the Iraqi people. The Iraqi Ministry of Finance and of Planning and Development Co-operation working with the CPA have published Budgets for 2003 and 2004 which outline the use of oil revenues in public expenditure in Iraq (Budget information can be found on the CPA website at http://www.cpa-iraq.org/budget/). Disbursements have included support of food production and distribution programmes, currency exchange programmes, electricity and oil infrastructure programmes, equipment for Iraqi security forces, and Iraqi civil service salaries and ministry budget operations.
Middle East
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what representations he has made to the Israeli Government regarding its refusal to register children born in the occupied territories to parents of mixed Israeli/Palestinian origin; [175351]
(2) what representations he has made to the Israeli Government following its decision to prohibit Israelis married to residents of the Occupied Territories to live with their spouses in East Jerusalem. [175352]
Mr. MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not raised these issues with the Israeli Government. During her visit to Israel in October 2003, my noble Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean discussed the legislation which is behind such discriminatory treatment of Arab Israelis with several human rights groups. Our concerns about the impact of the citizenship law were subsequently raised by British Embassy staff on 7 October 2003 with the Israeli Ministry of the Interior.
Sudan
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution his Department is making to the monitoring of the ceasefire in southern Sudan. [175719]
Mr. MacShane:
The Government have contributed over £460,000 to the Verification Monitoring Team (VMT), which is responsible for investigating and reporting on breaches of the Memorandum of Understanding on the cessation of hostilities in southern Sudan. We are currently considering a further, significant contribution. The Government have provided four members to staff to work for the VMT.
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Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will consult other members of the United Nations Security Council with a view to securing an emergency session of the Security Council to address the situation in Darfur, Sudan; [175720]
(2) what diplomatic measures his Department (a) has taken in the past month and (b) plans to take in relation to the situation in Darfur, Sudan. [175721]
Mr. MacShane: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Mullin) to my right hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham Ladywood (Clare Short) on 25 May 2004, Official Report, columns 1571–72W).
Darfur was discussed at the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council on 26 April and 17 May, and the UN Security Council was briefed about the situation on 2 April and 7 May. Since then, our Permanent Representative to the UN in New York has been working closely with other Security Council members, notably the US, France and Germany, to ensure that the Security Council remains focused on the crisis. We will continue to consider with all partners what further we can do to alleviate the situation.
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government supported the addition of Sudan to the UN's Human Rights Committee; and if he will make a statement. [175906]
Mr. MacShane: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Bill Rammell) to the right hon. Member for Tonbridge and Malling (Sir John Stanley) on 24 May 2004 Official Report, columns 1363W—136W.
Ms Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the attacks on civilians and displacement of communities in the Shilluk Kingdom in Sudan. [176063]
Mr. MacShane: We are very concerned by reports of fighting in the Upper Nile region of Sudan, and, in particular that civilians have been targeted. Estimates suggest that between 70–80,000 people have now been displaced and non-governmental organisations in the area have reported that services in the town are becoming increasingly stretched. Though we understand that fighting has decreased since 3 May, the humanitarian situation is likely to deteriorate further with the onset of seasonal rains.
We are following the situation closely and are in contact with all parties in the area, including the Verification and Monitoring Team which is responsible for investigating and reporting on breaches of the cessation of hostilities. We raised the matter with the Sudanese Foreign Minister during his visit to London on 11 May.
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