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Gibraltar

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with Spanish counterparts concerning the re-opening of discussions on sovereignty-sharing over Gibraltar; when these discussions took place; and which country initiated the talks. [188484]

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on diplomatic discussions between his Department and the Spanish Government over joint sovereignty of Gibraltar. [189196]

Mr. Straw [holding answer 14 September 2004]: Members of my Department have regular discussions with their Spanish counterparts on a wide range of issues, as do I and my ministerial colleagues. It is natural that these should include Gibraltar. Since the election of the PSOE government, the Spanish side has several times expressed a wish to re-open discussions on a number of issues concerning Gibraltar, including sovereignty. As we have consistently made clear, there will be no change to Gibraltar's sovereignty without the consent of the people of Gibraltar.

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many hostile actions have been taken against Gibraltar by Spain in each of the last three years. [189194]

Mr. MacShane: The daily lives of Gibraltarians in a number of areas have faced difficulties in recent years. Examples include delays in crossing the border, disruption to cruise ship movements, a limit on the provision of telephone connections to Gibraltar and restrictions on the use of airspace and diversion of incoming flights.

My ministerial colleagues and I raise these issues when we meet our Spanish counterparts, and press them to rethink their approach. I have made clear in public in Spain and in Spanish when necessary that such actions are neither justified, nor helpful, nor acceptable.

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the celebrations to mark the 300 years of British rule over Gibraltar. [189195]

Mr. MacShane: We are playing a full part in celebrating the warm relationship that we have enjoyed with the people of Gibraltar for the past 300 years. The Government are participating in an extensive programme of commemorative events taking place in both Gibraltar and the UK. The Royal Gibraltar Regiment and military units from the United Kingdom, including the Royal Marines, the Royal Engineers, the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy ships and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary are taking part in a total of more than 20 events throughout the year. My right hon. Friend the Defence Secretary visited Gibraltar on 4 August to be present at events celebrating the Tercentenary and the granting of the Freedom of the City to the Royal Navy. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary hopes to attend an event in the UK to commemorate the Gibraltar Tercentenary later this year.
 
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Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what impact the change of government in Spain has had on discussions on Gibraltar. [189244]

Mr. MacShane: Following the change of government in Madrid, Ministers and officials have continued to have regular discussions with their Spanish counterparts on a wide range of issues. It is natural that these should include Gibraltar.

There are signs that the Spanish Government is prepared to consider greater co-operation with Gibraltar, including between local authorities in the Campo region. I welcome this, and encourage such contacts. But, as I have made clear to my Spanish counterpart, there will be no change in Gibraltar's sovereignty without the consent of the people of Gibraltar.

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what ministerial visits to Gibraltar are planned over the next 12 months. [189245]

Mr. MacShane: Foreign engagements for my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and other Ministers are kept under constant review. It is not our practice to announce such visits until they are firm. Because of the unpredictable nature of world events, final decisions on overseas visits are often not possible until very shortly before the day of travel and occasionally not until they are underway.

Heads of Government (British Citizenship)

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether (a) United Kingdom passport holders and (b) individuals granted British citizenship are permitted to retain this status if they become head of government of a foreign state. [189103]

Mr. Mullin: A person holding British citizenship may continue to retain this status upon becoming the head of government of a foreign state, whether or not they hold a UK passport.

Iceland

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on Iceland joining the European Union. [189240]

Mr. MacShane: As I discovered for myself when I visited Iceland on 21–22 July, there is currently an informed debate in Iceland about the pros and cons of European Union membership. Iceland is already a member of the European Economic Area and the Schengen free movement zone. It is for the Icelandic people themselves to decide whether to join and of course the United Kingdom would welcome Iceland as a partner in the EU.

Information and Communication Technology

Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many information and communication technology specialists are in full-time employment in the Department. [189585]

 
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Mr. Alexander: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office employs 354 full-time Information and Communication specialists.

Intelligence Sharing

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the extent to which British intelligence on relevant security issues and global terrorism is shared with the Russian authorities. [189291]

Mr. Straw [holding answer 16 September 2004]: The British and Russian security and intelligence services continue to cooperate in the campaign against global terrorism. We value such cooperation with the Russians as with other countries. The details of intelligence exchanges are confidential. I am withholding further details under exemptions l(a) and l(c) of Part 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

International Atomic Energy Agency

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals the United Kingdom plans to put to the conference on the global threat reduction initiative at the International Atomic Energy Agency meeting in Vienna on 18 and 19 September; and whether non-governmental organisations will be given (a) access and (b) accreditation to the conference. [189110]

Mr. MacShane: The UK did not put new proposals to the Conference on the Global Threat Reduction Initiative in Vienna on 18 and 19 September. We are already carrying out work in this area through the Global Partnership, and will listen with interest and respond to any proposals made by other countries. The meeting will be open for NGOs to register and attend.

Iran

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations concerning Iran's nuclear programme the Government will make to the International Atomic Energy Agency in its September meetings; and if he will make a statement. [189092]

Mr. Straw: Together with the Governments of France and Germany the UK has drafted a resolution on Iran for discussion at the current meeting of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

As has been recent practice, UK statements on Iran at the Board of Governors' meeting and to the IAEA General Conference will be published once they have been delivered.

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government has received since February from human rights organisations operating in Iran; and if he will list the human rights violations those organisations reported. [189093]

Mr. Straw: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office maintains close contacts with the semi-official Islamic Human Rights Commission in Tehran, other
 
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individuals and organisations in Iran with an interest in human rights issues, and international human rights organisations which follow events in Iran. These individuals and organisations continue to report a wide range of human rights violations in Iran. Because human rights violation is so widespread in Iran, and because many of the representations we receive are confidential in nature, we cannot list here all the individual violations reported to us.

We continue to make our views on human rights clear to the Iranian authorities bilaterally, through the European Union and through action at the United Nations, and to press them to bring their practices into line with international law and standards.

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