---

22 Jul 2004 : Column 548W—continued

Parliamentary Questions

Mrs. Browning: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to reply substantively to the question tabled by the hon. Member for Tiverton and Honiton, ref 182518. [185976]

Mr. Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. MacShane) replied substantively on 14 July 2004, Official Report, column 1187W.

Policies (Environmental Impact)

Mr. Horam: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many new policy proposals or significant changes in policy were produced in (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04; how many of these were screened for their environmental impacts; and how many were the subject of separate environmental appraisals. [185101]

Mr. Rammell: In considering new policy proposals we take into account all relevant factors including the environmental impact where appropriate.

Business cases, design studies and specifications for major estate developments and contracts include an assessment of environmental impact and measures to achieve good environmental performance.
 
22 Jul 2004 : Column 549W
 

The information requested on the total number of new policy proposals and significant changes in policy proposals for the years in question is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

Rwanda

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Rwandan Government concerning the parliamentary commission in Rwanda requesting the dissolution of four civil society human rights organisations. [185442]

Mr. Mullin: We are concerned by the content and methodology of the Parliamentary Commission's report on Genocidal Ideology. We have registered our concerns with the Rwandan Government. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development (Hilary Benn) raised this with the Rwandan ambassador on 5 July. Our Ambassador to Rwanda also discussed this report with the Minister for Good Governance on 16 July. We will continue to encourage Rwanda to open up space for the operation of civil society.

Seal Culls

Mr. Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to (a) his Canadian counterpart and (b) the Canadian Government in respect of the use of independent monitoring of seal culls. [185669]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: I spoke to the Canadian High Commissioner in April about the seal cull in Canada. I encouraged the Canadian Government in an adjournment debate on seal hunting to ensure that their monitoring regulations are implemented in practice and do not just lie on the statute book—Official Report, columns 219WH to 222WH. On both occasions, I also made clear this Government's view that we do not accept the need for any seal cull, but if one does take place it should be sustainable and based on a precautionary principle. The Canadian Government monitors the operation of their seal culling regulations.

Sudan

Mr. Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government is taking to resolve the situation in Darfur. [183334]

Mr. Mullin: We are urging the Government of Sudan to honour the commitments it has given to rein in the Janjaweed, remove the obstacles to humanitarian access, and facilitate deployment of the African Union-led Ceasefire Commission (AU CFC). We are urging the UN Security Council to keep the situation under review, and consider further steps if there is no significant progress soon.

The priority is to improve the security situation and to respond to the humanitarian crisis, Since September 2003, we have provisionally allocated £62.5 million to the humanitarian response, including £2 million we have contributed to the AU CFC, This makes the UK the second largest bilateral donor in Darfur.
 
22 Jul 2004 : Column 550W
 

We continue to urge all sides to meet soon to discuss a political solution.

Sustainable Energy

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the US Department of State on sustainable energy consumption. [185361]

Mr. Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not had any recent discussions with the US Department of State on Sustainable Energy.

Ministerial colleagues have had extensive discussions on sustainable energy with a range of US contacts including Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs, Paula Dobriansky. There are a host of on-going discussions with the US on sustainable energy. For example the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), through its Embassy in Washington, works closely with contacts in the US and Whitehall Departments on various US-led international technology partnerships. One example is the International Partnership for a Hydrogen Economy. We are also working to engage with the US on sustainable energy through the Commission on Sustainable development (CSD).

The FCO has also, in co-operation with other government departments, secured US sign-up to the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP). I launched the REEEP in London in October 2003 with my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Trade and Industry (Patricia Hewitt) and Environment (Margaret Beckett) and had a bilateral discussion with US Department of Energy Assistant Secretary David Garman. In April this year Paula Dobriansky (Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs) formally signed the US government up as a partner of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership and agreed to contribute $50,000 a year to help fund the REEEP's International Secretariat in Vienna. Larisa Dobriansky (US Department of Energy) is also a representative on the REEEP Governing Board.

Turkey

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the issue of violence against women in Turkey was raised in the UK/Turkey Human Rights Dialogue meeting on 15 July; and if he will make a statement. [185987]

Mr. MacShane: The issue of violence against women in Turkey was raised at the fourth UK/Turkey Human Rights Dialogue on 15 July. The UK side welcomed the recent progress made by Turkey on women's rights, including on revisions made to the draft Turkish Penal Code, and the constitutional amendment asserting gender equality signed by the President in May. We encouraged them to take further steps to improve the situation of women in Turkey including through the provision of shelters, further training of the judiciary in adopting sentences commensurate with the gravity of the offence, and training of the police and gendarme in how to respond immediately and effectively to violence against women. The Turkish delegation undertook to consider the points raised.
 
22 Jul 2004 : Column 551W
 

Turkmenistan

Mr. Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of freedom of religion in Turkmenistan; and what representations he has made to the Government of Turkmenistan in respect of (a) freedom of Christian worship, (b) raids on houses and premises used by Christians and (c) the imprisonment of Christians for religious activities. [185659]

Mr. Rammell: We remain seriously concerned by reports of religious intolerance and human rights abuses against Christian and other religions in Turkmenistan. Religious freedom is guaranteed under the Turkmen constitution, but the requirement for religious groups to register remains a major obstacle. Religious activity in Turkmenistan remains tightly controlled and even registered religions are at best tolerated by the state.

The UK actively supports the promotion of human rights including freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief. We remain in close touch with representatives of religious groups and NGOs in Turkmenistan to promote freedom of religion. We are aware of a number of prominent human rights cases, including allegations of religious persecution and imprisonment. We are also aware of raids on premises used by Christians, in particular, prior to autumn 2003, although none have so far been reported to our embassy in 2004. We condemn all instances where religious groups are persecuted because of their faith or belief, wherever they happen and whatever the religion of the individual or group concerned. Our ambassador in Turkmenistan together with EU and US colleagues, regularly raises specific cases of religious persecution with the Turkmen Government, and takes every opportunity to urge the pursuit of laws and practices that foster tolerance and mutual respect.

The recent decision by the Turkmen Government to decriminalise unregistered religious activity is a positive development and we welcome the registration of two religious minorities: the Baha'is and the Seventh Day Adventists.

We will continue to monitor the situation closely and push for further progress on this issue.

---