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European Trade Agreements

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the main (a) logistical and (b) institutional obstacles to the implementation of (i) Europe agreements with the countries of central and eastern Europe and (ii) free-trade agreements with the Baltic States addressed by the committee on the arrangements for implementing Europe agreements with the countries of central and eastern Europe and free-trade agreements with the Baltic States during the Greek presidency of the EU; which of these were brought to the attention of the committee by the UK Government expert present; what recommendations the committee made for each; and if he will make a statement. [192494]

Mr. MacShane: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 26 October 2004, Official Report, column 1175W.

Under the Greek presidency, various EU bodies handled Europe agreements with countries with whom accession negotiations were underway.

Information on these discussions is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportional cost.
 
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Human Rights Annual Report

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes have been made to the text of the Annual Report on Human Rights since the decision to delay publication. [195243]

Mr. Rammell: The text of the Annual Report is changed and updated throughout its editorial and publication process, which usually begins in January and ends in September. Owing to the tragic events in Beslan, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary decided to delay the launch of the Annual Report which was originally due to be held on 16 September. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has subsequently updated the text of the Annual Report to reflect the tragedy in Beslan. There have been no other significant changes to the text. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not delayed publication of the Annual Report on Human Rights to dilute criticism of any country. The Foreign Secretary will launch the Annual Report on Human Rights on 10 November.

Iraq

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of meetings of the Iraqi National Security Committee have been attended by a British representative. [192990]

Mr. Rammell: The Iraqi Ministerial Committee for National Security, the MCNS, issues strategic policy direction and guidance on national security issues. It is chaired by Prime Minister Allawi. It is always attended by a senior British diplomat, usually now Ambassador Chaplin.

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information was provided by the United Kingdom to United Nations Security Council members on Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction prior to the vote on UNSC Resolution 1441 on 8th November 2002; what steps were taken to test the reliability of this information prior to passing it on to other UNSC members; and what steps he has taken to correct inaccuracies in this information following the publication of the Iraq Survey Group report. [191732]

Mr. MacShane: The Government made available its September 2002 dossier to members of the Security Council to inform them of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programmes prior to the vote on UN Security Council Resolution 1441. The dossier was compiled by the Joint Intelligence Committee following analysis of intelligence available to it at the time.

The genesis of the dossier, and the background information that formed its basis was examined in detail by the review headed by Lord Butler of Brockwell. Following further investigation by the SIS in the light of Lord Butler's conclusions, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary announced in a written statement to the House on 12 October 2004, Official Report, column 14WS, the formal withdrawal of the lines of intelligence relating to the "45 minute claim" and Iraqi production of biological agent.
 
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Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 13 October 2004, Official Report, column 306W, on Iraq, if he will request US authorities to furnish him with a copy of the (a) terms of reference and (b) findings of the investigation; and if he will place copies in the Library. [192987]

Mr. Rammell: This is a matter for the US military authorities. The UK is not party to this investigation. We have asked the US military authorities in Baghdad for a copy of the investigation report. We will place a copy in the Library of the House provided the US security classification of the report permits this.

New Agenda Coalition

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have been held with members of the New Agenda Coalition in advance of the Non-Proliferation Review Conference in 2005; and if he will make a statement. [194003]

Mr. MacShane: The Government regularly includes discussions of nuclear non-proliferation in its bilateral contacts with New Agenda Coalition countries. In that context, we make clear that we are fully committed to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and emphasise the importance of full compliance with the Treaty by all States Party. We also express our desire to see the immediate resumption of substantive work at the Conference on Disarmament, starting with the negotiation of a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty.

Non-proliferation Treaty

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have been held with Iran on (a) the inspection of nuclear facilities and (b) its policy on the Non-Proliferation Treaty; and if he will make a statement. [194004]

Mr. MacShane: Senior officials from the UK, France and Germany held discussions with Iranian counterparts in Vienna on 21 and 27 October on a range of nuclear issues.

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have been held by officials of his Department with (a) North Korea, (b) India, (c) Pakistan and (d) Israel on the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in New York in 2005; and if he will make a statement. [194005]

Mr. MacShane: There have been no discussions by officials with North Korea, India, Pakistan or Israel on the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference to be held in New York in 2005. However, non-proliferation issues form a regular part of our continuing dialogue with all four states.

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to publish a statement of the UK Government's aspirations for the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in 2005. [194006]

 
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Mr. MacShane: At this time, the Government have no plans to publish a statement of their aspirations for the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference in 2005. However, the Government are strongly committed to the NPT, which is the cornerstone of the nuclear non-proliferation regime. The UK's goals for the review conference are to make the case for stronger and more effective counter-proliferation measures and to emphasise the importance of compliance with the treaty. We will do this in the context of emphasising the UK's good record on nuclear disarmament, and we will produce a final report of the studies that we have conducted on the verification of nuclear disarmament. We look forward to working with the chair and other countries before and during the Conference itself to help secure a successful outcome.

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who the members of the UK delegation to the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in 2005 will be. [194007]

Mr. MacShane: Current plans are that the UK delegation to the 2005 Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference will be headed by ambassador John Freeman, the United Kingdom's Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva. He will be accompanied by officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Ministry of Defence and the Department of Trade and Industry.

People's Mojahedin Organisation

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 15 September 2004, Official Report, column 1617, on the People's Mojahedin Organisation, what information has been passed to the UK Government about the status of the residents of Camp Ashraf, with particular reference to the activities of the People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran personnel; whether this information has been passed to the Secretary of State for the Home Department; and if he will make a statement. [190302]

Mr. Rammell: The situation of the residents of Camp Ashraf was until 28 June a matter for the US authorities. The Iraqi Interim Government (IIG) is now responsible for Ashraf. With the concurrence of the IIG, US forces continue to provide security there. The US has informed us that most residents are being treated as protected persons under the Fourth Geneva Convention, some have unresolved claims to be Prisoners of War from the Iran/Iraq war, and a small number are the subject of US or international warrants. The IIG, US and other interested parties are continuing to discuss practical arrangements for their future.

The Mojahedin-e Khalq (MEK, or People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran) is proscribed in the UK under the Terrorism Act 2000. We take a close interest in the activities of MEK personnel, and have discussed them on many occasions with foreign Governments, including those of Iran, Iraq and the US. FCO and Home Office officials are in regular contact about the MEK.

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