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Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received in respect of compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty by (a) Iran, (b) North Korea, (c) South Korea and (d) the United Kingdom, with particular reference to provisions under articles one and six of the treaty. [189104]

Mr. MacShane: Issues of compliance with the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) form an integral part of our dialogue with a number of Governments and other bodies. These include meetings of the review process of the NPT, the International Atomic Energy Agency, and the G8 non-proliferation meetings. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is confident that the United Kingdom continues to fulfil all of its obligations under Articles I and VI of the Treaty.
 
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South Africa

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with (a) UK investors in the South African mining industry and (b) the South African Government on the implications of the South African Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act 2002 on the 1994 agreement between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for the Promotion and Protection of Investments, which came into force in 1994; when these discussions took place; and what mechanisms exist for settlement of claims UK investors may have against the South African Government resulting from the expropriation of privately-owned common law mineral rights under the 2002 Act. [189091]

Mr. Straw: Foreign and Commonwealth Office and UK Trade and Investment officials have regular discussions with UK companies investing in South Africa. In June 2002, I took the opportunity of a meeting with the South African Foreign Minister to underline the importance we attached to the South African Government consulting industry on the details of the draft Mining Bill.

Remedies exist for UK companies in dispute with the South African Government under South African law. In addition, under the provisions of the UK/South Africa Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement any dispute between a UK investor and the South African Government may be submitted to international arbitration.

Terrorism

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which ethnic groups have been responsible for each of the 20 largest terrorist attacks, in terms of loss of life, across the world in the last four years; and if he will make a statement. [189311]

Mr. MacShane: The Government regard all acts of terrorism as criminal and unjustifiable, wherever and by whomever they are committed. Terrorism threatens democracy, and aims to destabilise legitimately constituted governments and undermine tolerance and the rule of law. The Government do not seek to assign responsibility specifically on the basis of ethnicity.

UN International Day of Peace

Mr. Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to encourage observance of the International Day of Peace declared by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 36/67 of 30 November 1981, with particular reference to observance in the UK. [189143]

Mr. Rammell: The UK supports the initiative for an International Day of Peace, which aims to promote a global ceasefire and non-violence, including by encouraging rebel groups involved in conflict to agree to a cessation of hostilities to allow aid agencies to obtain access to civilians. General Assembly Resolution 36/67 first established an International Day of Peace, and the UK was a co-sponsor of General Assembly Resolution 55/282 of September 2001, which determined that this day would be observed on 21 September. The Foreign
 
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and Commonwealth Office has provided support to the British NGO, 'Peace One Day', which campaigns to promote observance of this day both in the UK and worldwide.

Zimbabwe

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government have taken to protect current and former British passport holders in Zimbabwe. [189344]

Mr. Straw: We provide the same level of consular protection to British passport holders in Zimbabwe as to those in any other country. However, we are unable to provide consular protection to former British passport holders who have renounced their British citizenship to become single Zimbabwean nationals. Former British passport holders can apply to the Home Office, through the British Embassy in Harare, to have their citizenship re-instated, provided they meet the necessary criteria.

TRANSPORT

Roads (Luneside, East)

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made of vehicular access to Luneside East, Lancaster; and what estimate he has made of the change in traffic consequent on the Luneside East Development. [189548]

Mr. Jamieson: A traffic impact assessment was prepared for the Luneside East scheme and both Lancaster city council, as Planning Authority, and Lancashire county council, as Highway Authority, considered its traffic impacts. Both authorities concluded that traffic generated by the scheme could be accommodated by the existing road network and the city council, therefore, granted outline planning permission in December 2002.

Civil Service (Job Losses)

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which services within his Department will be (a) affected by and (b) subject to job losses consequent on the cuts in the civil service announced in the Spending Review. [189636]

Charlotte Atkins: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend, Chief Secretary of the Treasury of 16 September Official Report, column 1659W.

Departmental Expenditure

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department has spent on (a) mobile phones, (b) hospitality and (c) taxi costs in (i) 1996–97 and (ii) the latest year for which figures are available. [185245]

Charlotte Atkins [holding answer 21 July 2004]: The central part of the Department for Transport spent £15,000 on hospitality/entertainment in respect of all members of the Department in 2003–04. All expenditure on official entertainment and hospitality is made in
 
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accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on the principles set out in "Government Accounting". The giving and receiving of hospitality is conducted fully in accordance with the guidance set out in the "Ministerial Code, and Guidance on Contacts with Outside Interest Groups including Lobbyists".

Costs in relation to mobile phones and taxi costs are not readily available and would be so only at disproportionate cost.

The Department for Transport was established in 2002 and therefore figures are not available prior to this date.

Departmental Recycling

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the latest available 12-month figures are for the proportion of the Department's redundant documentation, waste paper and card that is recycled; and if he will make a statement on the Department's recycling policy. [188690]

Charlotte Atkins: The waste handling contract for the Department's London headquarters building enables us to recycle all documentation, paper and card. Our policy aim is to recycle 100 per cent. of paper and card and we provide separate bins for such material and encourage staff to use them. In 2003–04, this resulted in the Department recycling 53 tonnes of paper, which represented 44 per cent. of total waste recycled. As we only record figures for the amount of documentation, waste paper and card that is actually recycled, we are unable to say what proportion this represents of total disposal of all such materials.

To further encourage paper recycling the Department:

(a) only uses uncoated paper containing 100 per cent. post-consumer waste, and coated paper containing a minimum of 75 per cent. post-consumer waste;

(b) undertakes an annual review of its stocks of printed materials and organised the pulping of any deemed to be redundant, for recycling; and

(c) instituted a 'print-on-demand' facility, so that no more copies of printed materials need be produced than are forecast to be used.

The Department also manages an award-winning framework contract to procure recycled printing papers for all its printing needs. The contract let in partnership with Defra and DTI is currently used in total by 18 Departments, agencies and NDPBs, and the number is growing. The management and use of this contract by public bodies has so far:

(a) diverted over 22,000 tonnes of potential landfill back into use;(b) led paper mills to develop new recycled products; and

(c) contributed to improving the quality of those already on the market.

The Department in consultation with its agencies is considering how it will develop a corporate departmental sustainable waste management strategy as required under the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate. However, our already existing policy remains that as many waste streams as possible should be recycled where appropriate and possible.
 
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