---

5 Jul 2004 : Column 594W—continued

European Council

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Prime Minister's oral statement of 21 June 2004, Official Report, column 1080, on the European Council, what the evidential basis is for his statement that EU membership provides an extra 1.8 per cent. of GDP every year for Britain; whether the 3.5 million jobs cited represent the number of jobs dependent on trade with EU member states; how many of this number may be ascribed to (a) growth in the United Kingdom economy and (b) removal of trade barriers consequent on single market membership; and if he will make a statement. [180798]

Mr. MacShane: Various means are used to measure trading and economic ties between nation states. While different measures of Single Market benefits produce slightly different results, all underline the importance of membership of the EU for British jobs and prosperity.

In 2002, the European Commission estimated that EU GDP had increased by 1.8 per cent. thanks to the Internal Market. European households were estimated to be £3,800 richer (source: European Commission (2002) "Internal Market—Ten Years without Frontiers"). These are conservative estimates, which do not take account of the full impact of on-going liberalisation in the service sectors.

Estimates for the numbers of jobs in the UK linked, directly and indirectly, to the export of goods and services to the European Union, range upwards of 3 million. The 3 million figure is calculated on the basis that the share of total UK employment associated with UK exports to the EU is equal to the share of total UK value added (GVA) generated by UK exports to the EU. Academics have estimated that the number of jobs is as high as 3.5 million, once secondary, eg consumption, effects have been included.

General Affairs and External Relations Council

Mr. Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 22 June 2004, Official Report, column 1329W, on the meeting of the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 14 June, what discussion there was at the meeting about the draft joint action relating to Galileo; and what decisions were made about it. [180973]

Mr. MacShane: The joint action "On aspects of the operation of the European Satellite radionavigation system affecting the security of the European Union" (Doc. 9569/04) was adopted at the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council on 10–11 June, rather than at the 14 June GAERC. The Transport Council was also considering a regulation and decision on other aspects of the Galileo programme, and
 
5 Jul 2004 : Column 595W
 
it was therefore appropriate to adopt the joint action at the same council. It was adopted as an 'A' point, i.e. without actual discussion at the council.

Guantanamo Bay

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he intends to take to ensure that British nationals held at Guantanamo Bay are subject to a fair trial or are released; and what timescale he has set. [179053]

Mr. Mullin [holding answer 15 June 2004]: Discussions between the British and US Governments on the situation of the four British detainees at Guantanamo Bay are continuing. The Government will continue to seek to resolve their position. No timescale has been set for this.

Iraq

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether UK-based private security contractors will enjoy immunity from prosecution under local Iraqi law after 30 June. [178795]

Mr. Rammell [holding answer 14 June 2004]: CPA Order 17 governs the status of certain foreign private security contractors in Iraq after 28 June. These include private security contractors who are providing security services to Diplomatic Missions, the Multinational Force, International Consultants and other contractors defined in the Order, and their personnel. Such contractors will be immune from Iraqi legal process with respect to acts performed by them pursuant to the terms of a contract. Contractors must, however, respect Iraqi laws. Private security companies must comply with all CPA Orders and Memoranda. CPA Memorandum 17 obliges all such companies operating in Iraq to obtain a Business License from the Iraqi Ministry of Trade and an Operating License from the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior (MOI). The MOI will monitor the actions of such companies and can revoke their Operating License. The contracting state has the right to waive the immunity of such companies.

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what use will be made of the media in Iraq to promote free and fair elections in Iraq; and whether special attention will be given to the participation of women in the election as (a) voters and (b) candidates. [181516]

Mr. Rammell: A Foreign and Commonwealth Office-sponsored team in Baghdad is providing significant support to media development in Iraq, including establishing the Iraqi National Communications and Media Commission (INCMC) and an independent Iraqi National Public Broadcasting Service (INPBS). The team is working with the UN Electoral Assistance Mission to Iraq (UNAMI), INCMC, the INPBS, media organisations and political parties to develop a code of practice for fair and balanced coverage of the elections, including coverage of women candidates. The INPBS will be an independent and impartial platform for national debate and will ensure that the Iraqi public are fully informed about the issues affecting the elections, the political debate and the technicalities of voter registration and participation.
 
5 Jul 2004 : Column 596W
 

The Transitional Administrative Law agreed on 8 March states that the electoral law for Iraq shall aim to achieve the goal of having women constitute no less than one-quarter of the members of the National Assembly. On the advice of Carina Perelli, Head of UNAMI, this has been encapsulated in the electoral law by stipulating that one in every three candidates in political party lists must be female. One of the objectives of DflD's political participation fund is to increase the opportunities for and participation of women in the political process.

Israel/Palestine

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what dates he has met the Israeli Ambassador since September 2000. [180075]

Mr. Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, as well as other Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers and officials, meet regularly with representatives from the Israeli Government. Meeting dates between the Foreign Secretary and the Israeli Ambassador dating back to 2000 could be provided only at disproportionate costs. However, the Israeli Ambassador has in the past 12 months been present on three occasions at meetings between the Foreign Secretary and the Israeli Prime Minister or other senior Israeli Ministers. My noble Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean, as Minister responsible for the Government's relations with the Middle East, also meets with the Israeli Ambassador on a regular basis; and most recently the new Israeli Ambassador, Zvi Heifetz on 24 June.

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 16 June 2004, Official Report, column 992W, on Israel, when he expects to announce what human rights issues the EU intends to raise at the EU/Israel Association Council to be held at the end of the year. [181297]

Mr. Rammell: As is normal practice, the EU does not make announcements in advance about specific issues it intends to raise at the EU-Israel Association Council.

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many United Nations Resolutions of (a) the Security Council and (b) the General Assembly condemning the actions of the state of Israel the Government have voted against since 1974; and in what year each vote was. [180092]

Mr. Rammell: This information is available in the public domain. Texts of all United Nations Resolutions can be found on the UN website at www.un.org. Written requests for voting records dating back to 1974 can be submitted to the Archives Reference section in the United Nations in New York. The address is: Archives Reference Service, Room Q-328, United Nations New York, NY 10017.

Malaysia

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have received from Malaysian
 
5 Jul 2004 : Column 597W
 
citizens about the long-term effects of the spraying of chemical 2–4-5-T by British forces in the country; and if he will make a statement. [181165]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: According to our records, the high commission in Kuala Lumpur received a general inquiry in 1986 about the use of chemical 2–4-5-T in Malaysia.

In response, the high commission provided factual information from files available in the National Archives.

---