---

16 Dec 2004 : Column 1272W—continued

Israel (Security Wall)

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Israeli Government on the security wall. [204391]

Mr. MacShane [holding answer 15 December 2004]: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, South-East (Dr. Iddon) on 14 December 2004, Official Report, column 1520.
 
16 Dec 2004 : Column 1273W
 

Israel (Settlements)

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussion his Department has had with the Israeli Government on the future of Israeli settlements. [204392]

Mr. MacShane [holding answer 15 December 2004]: We have discussed with Israel the issue of the future of the Israeli settlement infrastructure to be evacuated in the disengagement plan. We have stressed the importance of leaving intact as much of the useable infrastructure as possible.

We welcome the Israeli disengagement plan to withdraw all settlements from Gaza and four from the West Bank. We hope that this withdrawal will be as full as possible, and a first step towards meeting their Roadmap commitments rather than an end in itself.

Settlements are illegal under international law and freezing settlement expansion as well as dismantling outposts erected since 2001 forms part of Israel's commitments under Phase One of the Roadmap. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary made this clear during his visit to Israel on 24 November.

Ministerial Meetings

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list his official engagements over the last six months; who was present at each meeting; what the (a) date and (b) location was of each meeting; what issues were discussed; and what plans he has to establish a public register of such information. [202393]

Mr. Straw: The information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

I have no plans to establish a public register.

Oil and Gas Supplies

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the situation in Ukraine on (a) oil and (b) gas supplies to (i) the UK and (ii) the EU; and if he will make a statement; [204380]

(2) what steps the Government are taking to protect the supply of (a) oil and (b) gas to the UK via transit pipelines passing through Ukraine; [204381]

(3) what discussions he has had with (a) the Ukrainian Government and (b) the Russian Government about the protection of oil and gas transit routes that pass through Ukraine from interruption to flow during the current political situation in Ukraine. [204383]

Mr. Alexander [holding answer 13 December 2004]: While we recognise the importance of Ukraine for the transit of oil and gas, we have no evidence that the current situation in Ukraine is having an impact on oil and gas supplies to the UK and to the EU. It is not possible in any event to determine what percentage of UK physical oil and gas supplies has transited Ukraine, but it is believed to be negligible. It is the responsibility of the authorities in producing and transit countries to
 
16 Dec 2004 : Column 1274W
 
ensure that energy supplies, which are contracted for by private companies, can be delivered without impediment. We keep the situation in Ukraine under careful review. Were there to be cause for concern over energy supplies transiting Ukraine we would, with our EU partners, raise the matter urgently with the authorities there, and, if applicable, with the Russian Government.

Pakistan

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the President of Pakistan on that country's laws of blasphemy. [204528]

Mr. Alexander: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary did not discuss Pakistan's Blasphemy Laws with President Musharraf during his recent visit to the UK.

The Pakistani authorities however are aware of the serious view that the British Government takes of all incidents of persecution and other forms of religious intolerance and discrimination in Pakistan.

Together with our EU partners we have raised our concerns on these issues with the Pakistani authorities on a number of occasions, most recently in May this year.

Somalia

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of recent reports of violent clashes in the Mudug region and in Hobyo town in Somalia; what his most recent estimate of the number of people affected by the violence is; and if he will make a statement. [204641]

Mr. Mullin: We see regular reports of fighting in the Mudug and other regions of Somalia and of heavy casualties. We have no representation in Somalia and are not able to make an independent assessment of these reports. But we are urging all factions to support the peace process. We are working closely with the international community to bring about the creation of a Transitional Federal Government for Somalia, acceptable to all factions, which can establish itself in Mogadishu and begin to restore peace and security throughout Somalia.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of (a) the commercial operations of the Hawiye clan in Somalia since 1997 and (b) the Hawiye clan's contribution to and role in the situation in Somalia; and if he will make a statement. [204642]

Mr. Mullin: We have no representation in Somalia and are not able to make an independent assessment of the activities of the Hawiye clan. But we are urging all factions to support the peace process.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of (a) political, (b) social and (c) economic situation in Somaliland; and if he will make a statement. [204643]

 
16 Dec 2004 : Column 1275W
 

Mr. Mullin: Somaliland has escaped much of the conflict in the rest of Somalia recently. 'President' Rayale was elected democratically in May 2003. Internal reconciliation has made progress. Civil society is beginning to find a voice and the press is relatively free. Economic conditions remain extremely difficult as Somaliland's livestock exports to Arabian countries are prohibited following an outbreak of Rift Valley fever. We have urged the Somaliland authorities to talk to the Transitional Federal Government in the south, when it becomes established, and to agree a mutually acceptable future relationship. I visited Somaliland between 23–25 October this year.

West Papua

Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in the province of West Papua, Indonesia. [204766]

Mr. Alexander: We have raised the question of human rights in Papua with the Indonesian Government, most recently during the visit by Dr. Michael Williams, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's Special Advisor, to Indonesia in December 2004. We believe the new Government is actively seeking to resolve the conflict. We are aware of reports of human rights abuses in Papua. We will continue to monitor the situation.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Paramilitaries

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to his answer of 13 December 2004, Official Report, column 925–26W, on offences, how many of the 48 cases referred to involved members of the Provisional IRA; and of the eight cases resulting in freezing and recovery of assets, how many were linked to the (a) Provisional IRA, (b) INLA, (c) UDA and (d) UVF. [205530]

Mr. Pearson: The Assets recovery Agency does not hold information on individual affiliation. Of the 48 cases which have been referred to it since February 2003, the agency perceives that 13 cases can be identified as being from the Loyalist community and 12 cases can be perceived as being from the Republican community.

It is not appropriate for the Government to comment on the affiliation of individuals whose assets have been frozen and are under active investigation by the agency.

---