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Gibraltar

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the effects of the application of Justice and Home Affairs Title VI measures on Gibraltar's (a) constabulary, (b) local government powers and (c) armed forces facilities following the entry into force of the EU constitution. [207093]

Mr. MacShane: Under the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, Gibraltar will be in the same position as the UK as regards the application of measures which can at present be adopted under Title VI of the TEU (i.e. measures on police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters). This was fully discussed with the Government of Gibraltar during the Intergovernmental Conference negotiations last year.

The effect of measures adopted under the Constitutional Treaty on Gibraltar's constabulary, local government powers and armed forces facilities will of course depend on the content of the measures in question. But the Government are confident that, as now. the interests of the UK and Gibraltar will be safeguarded.

Global Conflict Prevention Pool

Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact of (a) the Global Conflict Prevention Pool and (b) the Africa Pool. [205409]

Mr. Rammell: A major external Evaluation of the Pools by Bradford University's Department of Peace Studies, completed in March 2004, concluded that, although it is too soon to make an accurate assessment
 
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of impact, the Pools are funding worthwhile activities that make positive contributions to effective conflict prevention, and that the progress achieved through the Pools' mechanisms is significant enough to justify their continuation.

The evaluation also identified a number of areas where there appeared to be room for improvement. The Government has published a response to these issues. An overall assessment of the Pool's performance against their Spending Round 02 Public Service Agreement target was laid before Parliament on 14 December 2004 and is available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office web site: http://www.fco.gov.uk/Files/kfile/ConflictPreventionPoolEvaluation.pdf

Great Lakes Region

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the Amnesty International report "Protecting their rights: Rwandese Refugees in the Great Lakes Region"; and if he will make a statement. [206311]

Mr. Mullin: We note with interest Amnesty International's report published on 15 December. It makes a number of recommendations which we will study carefully.

Guantanamo Bay

Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the meetings his Department has held with US officials to discuss the status of British nationals at Guantanamo Bay since 2002. [206225]

Mr. Mullin: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and its missions in the US have a continuing programme of meetings with various US Government departments to discuss the status of British nationals. Among other issues, these meetings consider individual consular cases; the detainees at Guantanamo Bay; and changes to US immigration practice (such as biometrics and the US Visa Waiver Programme) that affect all British visitors to the USA.

Gym Provision

Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many gyms are available to staff in the Department; and what the cost of providing them was in the last year for which figures are available. [204372]

Mr. Rammell: There are two gyms available for staff use on the UK Estate of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. One in London, and one at Hanslope Park. The cost of provision of this service, with the exception of utility costs, is wholly met from subscriptions charged to the users. Utilities for the gym areas are not currently separately metered, and it is therefore not possible to provide these costs.

The Overseas Foreign and Commonwealth Office locations all have the capability to make their own arrangements for provision of gym facilities. Due to the number of locations, the details for the overseas Estate could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
 
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Holy See

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the requirements for candidates sought as successor ambassador to the Holy See; and whether declared religion will be a factor. [207073]

Mr. MacShane: The successful candidate will possess the qualities we expect from a Head of Mission. Heads of Mission to the Holy See are appointed on merit and not on the basis of their religious beliefs.

Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to vary the (a) scale and (b) delivery of UK representation to the Holy See; and if he will make a statement. [207567]

Mr. MacShane: As announced in the written statement by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on 15 December 2004, Official Report, columns 137–40WS, we expect to widen the pool of potential candidates as Head of Mission to beyond the Foreign and Commonwealth Office when we look for a potential successor to the present incumbent next summer. We are currently in the process of determining the level and form of staffing necessary to preserve a viable and effective embassy which meets our requirements. There is no question, however, of closing down our embassy to the Holy See.

Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he had with the Papal Nuncio prior to decisions being made to alter the UK's arrangements for diplomatic representation to the Holy See; and if he will make a statement. [207568]

Mr. MacShane: The Holy See has been kept informed of our proposals for future diplomatic representation as they have developed, through contacts with our embassy to the Holy See and the Papal Nuncio in London.

Indonesia (Defence Sales)

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice was given by (a) his Department, (b) the local diplomatic mission in Indonesia and (c) the commercial officer in Indonesia, to Alvis plc and Alvis Ltd. about the use of agents in connection with the sale of Scorpion and Stormer vehicles to Indonesia. [205690]

Mr. Rammell: The allegations relating to the sale of military equipment to the Indonesians in 1995–06 reported this month in The Guardian newspaper are currently being investigated in the UK and Indonesia. It would not be appropriate to comment on these investigations at this stage. Currently, no records have been found of any discussions with Alvis plc or Alvis Ltd. on agents either by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, or by the embassy in Jakarta.

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date his Department was informed of the decision by BAE Systems to use PTSK as agents in connection with the sale of Hawk jets to Indonesia. [205692]

 
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Mr. Rammell: We have found no documents indicating who BAE Systems used as their agents in connection with the sale of Hawk jets to Indonesia. We are however looking into this matter further.

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date his Department was informed of the decision by Alvis to use (a) PT Truba and (b) PTSK as agents in connection with the sale of Scorpion and Stormer vehicles to Indonesia. [205693]

Mr. Rammell: The allegations relating to the sale of Scorpion tanks to the Indonesians in 1995–96 reported this month in The Guardian newspaper are currently being investigated in the UK and Indonesia. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has to date found no record of its being informed of specific agents for the contracts between Alvis and the Indonesian Government.

Iraq

Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many civilians have been killed as a result of paramilitary action by insurgents in Iraqi since April 2002. [204230]

Mr. Rammell: We have no way of reliably estimating the total number of Iraqi civilians killed by military or terrorist action. Unlike the Multi-National Force, the insurgents continue to deliberately target the Iraqi civilian population and cause damage to the country's infrastructure. Reports show that some 35 people, many of them children, were killed in one attack alone on 30 September, when co-ordinated bombs were detonated near a water treatment plant in Baghdad. The key to improving the lives of the Iraqi people will be to put down the insurgency.

Mrs. Mahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans the Government have to withdraw British troops from Iraq under the terms of UN Security Resolution No. 1546. [205382]

Mr. Rammell: The UK is committed to Iraq until the country is stabilised and the Iraqis themselves are able to take full responsibility for their own security. United Nations Security Council Resolution 1546, unanimously adopted on 8 June 2004, mandates the presence of the multinational force, of which the UK forms part, to be reviewed at the request of the Government of Iraq or 12 months from the date of the Resolution. The mandate shall expire upon the completion of the political process and will be terminated earlier if requested by the Government of Iraq.

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the proportion of known injuries to Iraqi civilians which have been caused by the actions of multinational forces since 1 May 2003. [205513]

Mr. Rammell: We have no reliable means of ascertaining the number of Iraqi civilians injured by military or terrorist action since 1 May 2003. However, the Iraqi Minister of Health reported on 29 October that
 
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his Ministry's figures, based on records from some 180 hospitals, show that between 5 April 2004 and 5 October 2004 15,517 Iraqi civilians were injured.

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of (a) Iraqis killed by Saddam Hussein's regime in the period from 1 July 2001 to 19 March 2003, (b) Iraqi civilians killed in the period 20 March 2003 to 30 June and (c) Iraqi civilians killed in the period 1 July to 13 December. [205516]

Mr. Rammell: On 22 July 2003 the United Nations Secretary-General reported to the Security Council that it was estimated that over the past three decades at least 290,000 Iraqis had disappeared in Iraq. The Iraqi Bureau of Missing Persons has registered over 1.3 million missing Iraqis. Some 270 mass graves have so far been reported from that period. There are no reliable or comprehensive figures for Iraqi civilian casualties for the periods requested. The Iraqi Minister of Health stated on 29 October 2004 that his Ministry's figures, based on records from some 180 hospitals, show that between 5 April 2004 and 5 October 2004, 3,853 Iraqi civilians were killed.

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received from his United States counterpart in respect of the hunger strike by Saddam Hussein. [205517]

Mr. Rammell: A spokesman for the US military in Iraq has given an unequivocal denial of these allegations on behalf of the US authorities. Saddam Hussein is in the legal custody of the Iraqi authorities and the physical custody of the US authorities. Regular access is granted to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

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