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Kenneth Bigley

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on whether the Government was involved in Mr. Kenneth Bigley's attempted escape in Iraq. [190799]

Mr. MacShane: We are aware of reports of an attempted escape by Ken Bigley before his brutal murder. We cannot corroborate these reports but can confirm that the Government was not involved. However, as my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has said on several occasions, the Government did consider all possible means to secure the safe release of Mr. Bigley.

Niger

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the implications of violence in the Niger Delta for the security of British nationals working for British oil companies there. [192063]

Mr. Mullin: We have made clear our concern at the security situation in the Niger Delta, and the implications for British citizens in the region, to the Nigerian Federal and State authorities. I authorised a strengthening of Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 
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(FCO) travel advice on 30 September in response to an increase in fighting in Rivers State, to warn against all travel by boat and road to riverine areas of Rivers and Bayelsa States. In addition, the FCO Travel Advice, available on the FCO website: www.fco.gov.uk, warns against non-essential travel to the riverine areas in Delta State.

A ceasefire agreement was signed on 1 October between the Federal Government and the armed gangs involved in the violence in Rivers State. We welcome this and hope it will provide a basis for a sustainable and peaceful solution.

We continue to monitor events closely and are in close touch with British companies operating in the Niger Delta.

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place with the Government of Niger on Islamic militants. [192064]

Mr. Mullin: We have not had discussions with the Government of Niger on Islamic militants. The EU, however, has a regular dialogue with the Government of Niger on a range of issues, including internal developments.

Solomon Islands/Fiji

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the security situation in (a) the Solomon Islands and (b) Fiji. [192045]

Mr. Rammell: Following the unrest caused by ethnic tension between 1998 and 2003, the Solomon Islands is now a relatively stable and peaceful country. There is still the potential for minor disturbances but most of the weapons used during the unrest have been given up.

Fiji has also been a predominately peaceful and stable country since the elections in 2001.

South Georgia/South Sandwich Islands

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions have taken place with the Governor of the Falkland Islands regarding the administration of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. [192041]

Mr. Rammell: The Governor of the Falkland Islands acts concurrently as Commissioner for South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, administering the Territory with his team from Government House, Stanley. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office works closely with Government House on matters relating to the administration of the Territory, and discussions therefore take place on a regular, and ongoing, basis.

Sudan

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place with the Government of Sudan regarding the possibility of regional autonomy for the south of the country. [192052]

 
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Mr. Mullin: The UK is involved, through its observer status, at the Intergovernmental Authority for Development-sponsored peace talks between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan Peoples' Liberation Movement, which began in 2002. The two parties have agreed that the people of South Sudan have the right to control and govern affairs in their region, and to participate equitably in the National Government. They have also agreed a detailed framework for the operation of the Government of southern Sudan, and for state Governments across Sudan. Final outstanding issues are currently being addressed in Karen, Kenya, with a view to concluding a Comprehensive Peace Agreement in the coming months. The Government stands ready to support the two parties in implementing this agreement.

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the UN resolution on possible oil sanctions against Sudan; and whether he expects a timetable to be set for the Sudanese Government to comply with demands outlined in the resolution. [192062]

Mr. Mullin: UN Resolution 1564, which we co-sponsored, introduces the specific threat of oil sanctions against the Government of Sudan if they fail to meet their obligations to resolve the situation in Darfur. The Security Council will determine what action should be taken, on the basis of the UN Secretary General's monthly reports.

Surinam/Guyana

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the border dispute between Surinam and Guyana. [192044]

Mr. Rammell: The Government have remained neutral. We have offered no legal or political support to Guyana. But we have offered to make our public records available to both countries. We have encouraged both sides to seek an amicable solution to the border dispute.

Turkey

Mr. Pope: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will support the according to Turkey of EU applicant status at the next EU summit; and if he will make a statement. [192171]

Mr. MacShane: The UK Government fully supports Turkey's EU candidate status, as agreed at the Helsinki European Council in 1999. Following the recent Commission recommendation that Turkey has fulfilled the Copenhagen political criteria, the UK Government believes that the European Council in December should agree to open accession negotiations without delay.

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Turkish government about the local authority in Seljuk taking planning action against the Ephesus Protestant Church there. [192175]

Mr. MacShane: The British Government regularly raises individual cases relating to freedom of religion in dialogue with the Turkish government, most recently in our annual Human Rights Dialogue on 15 July. We
 
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support the European Commission's recommendation of 6 October that called on the Turkish government to adopt legislation to address concerns about property rights of non-Muslim religious communities. I have asked officials at the British Embassy in Ankara to look into the case of the Ephesus Protestant Church in Seljuk.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Broadband

Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the level of broadband access is in the Rossendale Valley area covered by Rossendale borough council. [192519]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: We are unable to collect connectivity data at this level of detail.

However, when BT announced the removal of distance restrictions from 6 September 2004, they said that recent "trial data indicates that where the exchange is upgraded for broadband, an average of 99.8 per cent. of lines should be able to get a 512kb/sec ADSL broadband service". This will apply to most exchanges by the end of 2005.

Business Start-ups

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the number of days required to start a business in the UK in each year since 1994. [189998]

Nigel Griffiths: I regularly review the length of time it takes to start up a business here and in the EU.

In 1994 it took seven days to incorporate a company. In 2001 it took three days. Today the majority of registrations are completed, electronically within a day.

Figures for each year can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

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