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V2 Rocket Incidents

Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether document reference number HO198/105, relating to V2 rocket incidents from September to December 1944, has been (a) retained by his Department and (b) withheld from the public domain. [182975]

 
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Mr. Blunkett: The document (piece) has not been formally retained at the Home Office. It appears to have been lost after having been temporarily retained for administrative purposes when related records were transferred to The National Archives in 1972. The National Archives catalogue will be amended to show the piece is missing.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Anti-terrorism Measures

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress was made at the recent talks at Hassop Hall with his European counterparts on anti-terrorism measures. [184265]

Mr. Blunkett: I have been asked to reply.

This question has been referred to me as I hosted the meeting at Hassop Hall with my Interior Ministry counterparts from France, Germany, Italy and Spain. We discussed a range of issues that relate to co-operation on counter-terrorism. It was a very useful meeting covering a number of areas of joint interest.

ID cards can allow travel throughout the EU, so we need to ensure that security standards are on a par with those relating to EU visas, residence permits and passports.

We felt that it would be important to look at strengthening ID card security, specifically measures on the incorporation of biometric identifiers, and methods to ensure a more robust issuing procedure.

Following on from this we felt that strong support should be given to the Commission's proposals for further action in facilitating the exchange of information on lost, stolen and forged passports between member states and Interpol. This would be on a basis consistent with G8 and ICAO initiatives.

We discussed how there could be benefits in Europol focusing on a number of clearly defined tasks in the counter-terrorism field. This could be in addition to its main role on organised crime. Analyses of the links between organised crime and terrorism, and the flows of finances that support terrorist organisations were considered. We particularly welcomed presidency ideas concerned with the disruption of these flows.

Ensuring our security through co-operation is a key goal for all member states. I believe that through discussion and working together closely we can give impetus to these important areas of work in the EU and deliver real practical outcomes.

Departmental Expenditure

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much the Foreign Office spent on (a) recruitment consultants and (b) management consultants in (i) 1996–97 and (ii) the latest year for which figures are available. [184503]

Mr. Straw: The figures for 1996–97 could be established only at disproportionate costs.
 
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Expenditure on external consultants in general is reported annually in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) Departmental Report, available in the Library of the House and on the FCO's website: www.fco.gov.uk. Expenditure specifically on management consultants is not categorised separately and could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

Expenditure on consultants, the bulk of this being expenditure associated with our major Information and Communications Technology and estate construction programmes, for 2002–03 (the latest figures available) totalled £23.7 million. Out of that total the FCO spent £1.31 million on recruitment consultants.

Detention/Imprisonment Principles

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government recognises the UN Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment. [184829]

Mr. Rammell: The UK supported the adoption of the Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment by the United Nations in 1988.

The Principles are not specifically embodied in UK domestic legislation. However, they are effectively applied by means of existing legislation and procedures governing the detention of individuals, and by the system of independent checks of places of detention by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons, as well as by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture.

Diego Garcia

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library copies of all his Department's (a) legal, (b) environmental and (c) economic studies on Diego Garcia and the Chagos Islands; and what correspondence has taken place between Her Majesty's Government and the United States Administration since November 2000 on Diego Garcia. [184389]

Mr. Rammell: Reports of studies relating to the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) are placed in the Library of the House if they are likely to be of parliamentary or public interest. For instance the study into the feasibility of resettlement of the outer islands of the Territory was deposited in the Library in July 2002. Correspondence between the UK and US Governments about Diego Garcia is confidential to the two Governments and is withheld under exemption l(c) of Part 2 the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on (a) dredging and (b) the expansion of naval facilities at Diego Garcia since 1980. [184966]

Mr. Straw: The US Naval Support Facility on Diego Garcia, which had been established pursuant to an agreement between the two Governments of February 1976 as a development of the previous US naval communications facility there. Following an Exchange of Notes between the Governments of the UK and the
 
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US in August and September 2001 the US Naval Support Facility was designated as a Bomber Forward Operating Location and various infrastructure upgrades to the facility were agreed. The 2001 Exchange of Notes recorded the understanding of the two Governments that this was consistent with the scope and purpose of the facility as provided for in the 1976 agreement. Further infrastructure upgrades were similarly approved by the two Governments in July 2002. In addition, an Exchange of Notes between the two Governments in June and July 1999 recorded their agreement to the construction and operation on Diego Garcia of a monitoring facility, primarily for inclusion in the International Monitoring System, established under the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty of 1996.

As regards dredging, it will be necessary to obtain this information from the authorities on Diego Garcia. When it has been received, I will write to the right hon. Gentleman and place copies in the Library of the House.

European Constitution

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what effect the European Constitution will have on the UK's existing international treaties. [184257]

Mr. MacShane: None.

Guantanamo Bay

Mr. Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the ages are of the UK citizens in custody in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. [183302]

Mr. Mullin: The ages of each of the four British nationals detained at Guantanamo Bay are 24, 24, 31 and 36.

Mr. Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will provide an update on the situation of the British Guantanamo detainees. [183318]

Mr. Mullin: The Government have consistently sought to resolve the position of the British nationals detained at Guantanamo Bay. Our position is that the British detainees should either be tried fairly in accordance with international standards or returned to the United Kingdom.

Following discussions with the US Government, led for the Government by my noble Friend the Attorney-General, we concluded that the US military commission process would not provide sufficient guarantees of a fair trial in accordance with international standards. The Government therefore asked that all nine British detainees be returned to the UK. Five were returned in March.

Following a visit by officials to Washington in May, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister repeated our request that the remaining four detainees be returned to the UK. We continue to work to resolve their situation.

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