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Israel

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Israeli Government concerning the Absentee Property Law and its effect on Israeli policy in the West Bank. [214280]

Mr. Rammell: On 24 January, our Ambassador in Tel Aviv wrote to Israeli Justice Minister Livni to request further information on the Absentee Property Law. On 26 January, Sir Nigel Sheinwald, my right hon. Friend
 
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the Prime Minister's Foreign Policy Advisor, raised our concerns about this Law with Dov Weisglass, Prime Minister Sharon's Chief of Staff.

On 1 February, the Israeli Attorney General reversed the Israeli government's decision of July 2004 to apply the Law allowing the expropriation of Palestinian land in Jerusalem.

Mobile Phones

Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the costof staff mobile phone bills was in each year since 1997. [214886]

Mr. Rammell: The costs of staff mobile phones for the years 1996–97 to 1998–99 are set out in the table. Since April 1999, budgets have been devolved to individual Foreign and Commonwealth Office Departments. Information from this date could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Cost of staff mobile phones years 1996 to 1999

	£
1996–97	169,357
1997–98	190,199
1998–99	290,011

Northern Cyprus

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken by (a) the UK and (b) the EU to help with preparations for the application of the EU acquis to northern Cyprus; and if he will make a statement. [215095]

Mr. MacShane: Following Cyprus' accession to the EU, as a divided island, the application of the acquis was suspended in the north pending a settlement. Help in preparing for the application of the acquis in the north is therefore an important component in facilitating a settlement. The Government's ultimate objective remains a just, viable and lasting settlement for the benefit of all Cypriots.

Since May last year, the European Commission has provided limited assistance to Turkish Cypriots through its Technical Assistance Exchange Office programme, which we welcome. The objective is to bring Turkish Cypriots closer to the European Union. We also support efforts in the EU to obtain agreement on the Commission's package of proposals for financial aid to and direct trade with the north of Cyprus.

The British Government are themselves funding a small number of projects in north Cyprus under the Re-uniting Europe" programme within the Global Opportunities Fund. (More information on these can be found on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website: fco.gov.uk>Programmes>Global Opportunities Fund). These projects are designed to help the Turkish Cypriot community to prepare for reunification and full participation in the EU. Our efforts are in line with EU commitments and will, we believe, help facilitate a future settlement.
 
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Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Republic of Cyprus over the UK's steps to help Turkish Cypriots prepare for the application of the EU acquis in the north of Cyprus; and if he will make a statement. [215096]

Mr. MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had no such discussions with the Government of the Republic of Cyprus, although UK policy in this area has been discussed bilaterally at senior official level.

The UK funds a number of projects in the north of Cyprus which deliver technical expertise on administrative reform and the handling of EU-related business, in order to help Turkish Cypriots prepare for the demands of a settlement and full participation in the EU. It is in the interests of the smooth functioning of a united Cyprus that this reform process should begin as soon as possible. These projects therefore form an important part of the Government's policy of promoting a Cyprus settlement.

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which EU member state diplomats attended the Turkish National Day celebrations hosted in northern Cyprus by the Turkish Ambassador to the TRNC; what representations the Republic of Cyprus made on this issue; and if he will make a statement. [215097]

Mr. MacShane: I am unable to comment on the attendance of other member states at this event, but my hon. Friend could contact the Turkish Ambassador to the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" directly about this.

The British High Commissioner attended last year, in line with practice for at least nine years. The Republic of Cyprus made several representations to express their concern. We took every effort to reassure them that attendance in no way constituted recognition of the TRNC", on which the Government's policy of non-recognition is well-known and absolutely firm. Attendance was part of our efforts to promote a Cyprus settlement through engagement with both sides.

Nuclear Weapons

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the proposals put forward by the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Dr. El-Baredei, to the World Economic Forum in Davos on 27 January for controls on nuclear weapons and military nuclear materials and technologies from terrorist groups. [214330]

Mr. MacShane: The UK shares Dr. El Baradei's desire for a strengthened non-proliferation regime, and is currently examining his proposals in more detail. The UK has a good record of working with international partners to combat the spread of weapons and materials of mass destruction, through initiatives such as the Global Partnership.
 
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Peru

Andy King: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Peruvian Government concerning its implementation of the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, published in August 2003. [215790]

Mr. Rammell: I raised this matter with the Peruvian Prime Minister when I visited Peru in December 2004 and reiterated our ongoing support for implementation of the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).

We have actively supported the efforts of the TRC. This support has helped develop institutional capacity within this Commission in the regions most affected by the violence. The Peruvian authorities are now in the process of implementing the TRC's recommendations. We are currently supporting the work of the Human Rights Ombudsman's Office and the National Co-ordinator for Human Rights in this aim.

Andy King: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Peruvian Government concerning the pace of the trial reviews for men and women who may have been wrongly accused and convicted of terrorism in the late 1980s and early 1990s. [215791]

Mr. Rammell: Our Embassy in Lima made representations on this issue to the Peruvian authorities in April and September 2004. We will continue to monitor these cases and support the Peruvian Government's efforts to uphold the rights of the citizens to justice.

Postage

Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much has been spent on postage by the Department in each year since 1997. [215023]

Mr. Rammell: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office expenditure on postage for each financial year is as follows:

	£
April 2001 to March 2002	237,171
April 2002 to March 2003	226,667
April 2003 to March 2004	216,349
Expenditure this financial year:
April 2004 to December 2004	153,146

Information on the costs of postage for the financial years prior to April 2001 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Project Coast

Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information the Government holds on the former South Africa regime's project code-named Project Coast; and if he will make a statement. [215522]

 
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Mr. MacShane: Her Majesty's Government holds information on Project Coast derived from a variety of sources including the findings of South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the trial of the former head of the project, Wouter Basson.

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