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East Timor

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of East Timor. [189679]

Mr. Alexander: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met the President of East Timor Xanana Gusmao, during his visit to the UK in October 2003. My predecessor, the then Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mike O'Brien) met East Timor's Foreign Minister, Dr. Ramos Horta, during his visit to the UK in June this year. Both meetings covered a wide range of topics including how to bring to justice those responsible for human rights violations in East Timor, East Timor's relationship with her neighbours, including boundary issues, and the future of the UN mission in East Timor (UNMISET).

EU Trade

Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government will urge the European Commission to examine the legality of trade by an EU State with any part of any EU territory where it is not possible to enforce the acquis communautaire; and if he will make a statement. [190960]

Mr. MacShane: The Commission has examined the legality of direct trade with northern Cyprus in the context of the draft regulation it has presented to the Council to enable preferential direct trade between northern Cyprus and the rest of the EU. The Government agrees with the Commission's legal position and supports adoption of the regulation.
 
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European Constitutional

Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the implications for the justice system in the UK of the clause on page 32 of the proposed European Constitutional Treaty, Cm 6289, which requires that the severity of sentences should not be disproportionate to the offence; and to which penalties this principle will apply. [190520]

Mr. MacShane: The Government does not consider that there will be any direct implications from Article 11–49 (Command Paper 6289) for the UK justice system. The Article reflects the general principle of proportionality between penalties and criminal offences which is enshrined in the common constitutional traditions of the Member States, including the UK, and in the case law of the ECJ. Article 11–49 must moreover be read in conjunction with Article 11–51, which makes clear that the Charter only applies to member states when implementing Union law and does not extend the field of application of Union law.

Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the implications for the UK of the obligation on page 15 of the proposed European Constitutional Treaty, Cm 6289, to co-ordinate economic, employment and social policies. [190521]

Mr. MacShane: The Constitution would not confer any new powers on the EU for the co-ordination of economic, employment and social policy. As under the current Treaty (TEC), Member States would co-ordinate their policies within the Union. The new Article I-14 (CIG 86/04) refers to the arrangements detailed in Part III of the Constitution which carry forward those already in place under TEC.

European Human Security Response Force

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the United Kingdom Government's policy is on the proposal to create a European Human Security Response Force. [190299]

Mr. MacShane: The UK considers the proposal for a European Human Security Response Force put forward by the Study Group on Europe's Security Capabilities as an interesting contribution to the debate on how best to improve the EU's ability to prevent conflicts and respond to crises.

As the paper points out, much is already being done under European Security and Defence Policy to improve military and civilian capabilities, through the Headline Goal and Action Plan for Civilian ESDP, and through improved civilian/military co-ordination. The agreed objective is to have more readily available and rapidly deployable civilian and military assets to underpin EU activity in conflict prevention and crisis management.
 
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Iran

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Iran over the public hanging of Atefe Rajab in Neka in Nazandaran province on 15 August. [190194]

Mr. Rammell: We have serious concerns about the use of the death penalty in Iran, including public executions and the execution of juvenile offenders. Reports suggest Ms Rajab, a 16-year-old girl, was hanged, in public, for 'acts incompatible with chastity'. My noble Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean has made our strong concern clear to the Iranian authorities. We also continue to raise our concerns about Iran's use of the death penalty through the EU/Iran human rights dialogue.

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of Arabs being forced from their homes in Kirkuk and the surrounding area; who has been responsible for making them homeless; what his estimate is of the number of such displaced people residing in camps in north-central Iraq; what (a) position and (b) action the UK Government has taken on this issue; and if he will make a statement. [190228]

Mr. Rammell: Since the opening of the British Office in Kirkuk on 28 June 2004, neither they, nor the American Office, with whom they are collocated, are aware of any case where Arabisation Arabs (people that the Government of Saddam Hussein brought in to settle the North of Iraq in an attempt to change the demographics of the region) have been forced from their homes in Kirkuk. The British Office monitors closely the situation of the Internally Displaced People (IDPs) and relationships between the different ethnic groups in Kirkuk and the surrounding area, and reports on a regular basis to London. There are an estimated 50,000–70,000 IDPs in camps in Kirkuk and the surrounding area. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed these issues with local politicians during his visit to Kirkuk on 5 October and encouraged all to work together to resolve these issues, through political dialogue and the legal framework agreed in the Transitional Administrative Law (TAL).

Israel

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether British volunteers were among the members of the Christian Peacemaker Team who were attacked and seriously injured near the Israeli settlement of Maon in the South Hebron Hills on 30 September; and if he will ask the Israeli government to take steps to ensure the safety of British members of the team engaging in peacemaking activities. [190196]

Mr. Rammell: The British Consulate General in Jerusalem has not received any reports of British volunteers being involved in the incident in Hebron on 30 September. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers as well as officials based in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, have requested that the Government of Israel ensure the safety of all British citizens in the Occupied Territories. We also frequently raise with the Israeli
 
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authorities the cases of individual British nationals who have been detained by or come into conflict with Israeli security forces. British travellers should also, however, take responsibility for their own safety by paying careful attention to our Travel Advice for the Occupied Territories.

Maldives

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Maldivian Democratic Party. [189861]

Mr. Alexander: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not had any discussions with the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). However officials in London and at our High Commission in Colombo maintain regular contact with representatives of the MDP.

Ministerial Travel

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost was of chartering an aeroplane for his recent trip to Sudan. [188456]

Mr. Straw [pursuant to his reply, 15 September 2004, c. 1616W]: Due to an administration error, an incorrect answer was given to the right hon. and learned Gentleman's question. The answer should read as follows:

The gross cost of chartering an aircraft for the return trip UK-Sudan-Kenya was £168,000. Accompanying media contributed £51,700, making a net cost of £116,300.

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