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Correspondence

Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to ensure that the name of the constituent of the honourable Member for East Antrim, notified in previous correspondence, who received unsolicited correspondence in respect of Iraq in March 2003 (a) will be removed from data held by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and (b) will not be disclosed to any other UK Government department. [152095]

Mr. Rammell: In view of the special circumstances that have been brought to our attention, we will destroy the letter we hold which purported to be from the constituent. There has never been any intention to transfer the name of the constituent to any other UK Government Department, but in any event such a transfer would only occur when permitted by the Data Protection Act 1998.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to take up the issue of troop levels for peace-keeping purposes in the Democratic Republic of Congo. [181479]

Mr. Mullin: UN Security Council Resolution 1493 of July 2003 increased the troop ceiling for MONUC, the UN Peacekeeping Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, from 8,400 to 10,800. The level presently stands at 10,754. We are working with MONUC and within the Security Council to ensure that the mandate renewal due in July authorises the necessary adjustments to maintain and improve MONUC's effectiveness in the light of recent events.

Departmental Staff

Mr. Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people have left employment in his Department because of (a) anxiety, (b) stress, (c) depression and (d) other mental health reasons in each year since 1997. [175679]

 
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Mr. Mike O'Brien: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Shrewsbury and Atcham (Mr. Marsden) on 14 May 2003, Official Report, column 293W.

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the total amount paid by his Department to employment agencies for the supply of temporary staff was in financial year 2003–04. [178913]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: During the financial year 2003–04, the accounts of which have yet to be finalised, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office paid a total of £1,630,613 to employment agencies for the supply of agency staff. This figure includes both remuneration to the staff concerned and fees to the agencies.

Departmental Water Consumption

Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department has joined the Watermark project. [181240]

Mr. Rammell: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office joined the Watermark project in 2001.

Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the non-office sites within the departmental estate which have been identified as being likely to provide opportunities for significant water savings. [181242]

Mr. Rammell: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office estate is mainly office based. In the UK our non-office estate consists of a conference and events centre and the official residence of the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. Water use at these sites is monitored but neither has been identified as providing opportunities for substantial water savings. We also have a mixed-use site in Buckinghamshire, which includes stores, warehousing facilities and vehicle workshops. An environmental management system is currently being rolled out at this site and achieving water savings is one of its objectives. Overseas, our non-office sites are mainly for staff accommodation, none of them have been identified as being likely to provide opportunities for significant water savings.

EU Constitution

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list each of the areas of decision-making in which the United Kingdom will lose its power of veto if the EU constitution, as currently agreed, secures endorsement in the forthcoming referendum. [180436]

Mr. MacShane [holding answer 24 June 2004]: In the provisional consolidated version of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe (CIG 86/04) agreed by Heads of State and Government at the European Council on 18 June 2004, 15 Articles (or sub-paragraphs) will move from a unanimous voting mechanism to Qualified Majority Voting. These are: Articles I–36(3), I–53(4), III–21, III–26.1b, III–79(3a), III–134, III–171, III–174, III–176, III–177, III–181, III–264, III–269, III–289 and III–289a(2b). One of these Articles (III–21) has an emergency brake mechanism
 
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which allows a Member State an effective veto. Article (III–171) has an emergency brake mechanism which can lead to enhanced co-operation, allowing a Member State not to participate in the action concerned.

In CIG 86–04, 24 new Articles (or sub-paragraphs) are introduced at QMV. These are: Articles I–21, I–27, I–46(4), I–59(2), III–6, III–11, III–68, III–83, III–90, III–155, III–157, III–161, III–172, III–173, III–181a, III–182, III–184, III–185, III–201(b), III–212, III–222, III–223(3), III–231 and III–262. One of these Articles (III–172) has an emergency brake mechanism which can lead to enhanced co-operation, allowing a Member State not to participate in the action concerned.

Under the new Treaty, the UK will retain its existing 'Protocol on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland on policies in respect of border controls, asylum and immigration, and on judicial cooperation in civil matters' and therefore retains the right to take part in such measures on a case by case basis. Articles III–166, 167, and 168, covered by this Protocol, now provide for decisions by QMV under the new Treaty, but the Treaty of Amsterdam provided anyway for a potential move to QMV from 1 May 2004. Of the Articles mentioned above, the Protocol also covers Articles III–161 (under certain circumstances), and III–176(2a).

EU Foreign Minister

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the (a) powers and (b) duties that will be given to the proposed EU Foreign Minister. [180352]

Mr. MacShane [holding answer 29 June 2004]: Once the Constitutional Treaty is ratified and in force, the Union Minister for Foreign Affairs would be responsible for the implementation of the policy decisions in the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) adopted unanimously by the European Council and the Council of Ministers, and together with the Council he or she would also be responsible for ensuring the principles laid down in the Treaty on CFSP are complied with.

The Union Minister for Foreign Affairs would also be able to make proposals to the European Council and Foreign Affairs Council for development of EU foreign policy. Once these are decided by Member States, on the basis of unanimity, he or she would act as the Council's servant to implement them. He or she may also propose that a Special Representative is appointed by the Council. The Union Minister for Foreign Affairs would also take on the role currently carried out by the Presidency in conducting political dialogue with third parties and representing the Union at international organisations and conferences including representing an agreed EU position in the United Nations at the request of Member States who are members of the Security Council. He or she, along with the Commission, would also be charged with establishing relations with other international organisations.

The Union Minister for Foreign Affairs would have the following duties: he/she would conduct the Union's common foreign and security policy (Article 1–27(2)); be a Vice-President of the Commission (Article 1–27(4)); chair the Foreign Affairs Council; head the External
 
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Action Service and be responsible for Union delegations overseas. He or she would also be responsible for: the external relations aspects of Commission business: ensuring the consistency of the Union's external action and consulting the European Parliament on the development of common foreign and security policy in line with the consultation procedure allowed for in the Treaty.

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