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Egypt

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with President Mubarak on human rights in Egypt, with particular reference to the imprisonment of Ayman Nur. [217188]

Mr. Mullin: We have regular discussions with Egypt on a wide range of issues, including human rights. Where there is evidence of human rights abuse we make representations to the Egyptian authorities.

The United Kingdom, together with other European Union partners, raised the case of Ayman Nour with the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 15 February 2005. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary
 
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discussed the case with the Egyptian Foreign Minister on 28 February 2005. We recognise that Egypt regards Mr. Nour's arrest and subsequent detention as an internal matter. However, as well as our concerns about human rights, this case raises broader issues about Egypt's commitment to political reform.

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government have made to the Government of Egypt concerning the arrest of Dr. Ayman Nour MP. [218417]

Mr. Rammell: The UK, together with other EU partners, raised the arrest of Ayman Nour with the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 15 February. While we are aware that Egypt regards Mr. Nour's arrest and detention as an internal matter, we are concerned that the circumstances of his arrest and detention risk sending negative signals about Egypt's commitment to political reform, especially in election year. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary also discussed the issue with the Egyptian Foreign Minister on 28 February.

European Constitution

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Welsh translation of the European Constitution will be published. [220336]

Mr. Rammell [holding answer 7 March 2005]: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has agreed to translate the EU Constitutional Treaty into Welsh on a without prejudice" basis. No decision has yet been made on the date of publication.

Honours

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the awarding of an honorary knighthood to the American former head of IBM. [220565]

Mr. Straw: Mr. Louis Gerstner, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of IBM, and an American citizen, was made an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in September 2001. He received the award in recognition of his services and commitment to e-commerce and education in the United Kingdom.

Iraq

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many women were elected to the Iraqi National Assembly; which political parties or ethnic groups they represent; how many women have been appointed to posts in the Iraqi Government; and which posts they occupy. [220077]

Mr. Mullin [holding answer 4 March 2005]: Figures obtained so far from the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq indicate that at least 86 women were elected to Iraq's Transitional National Assembly (TNA). This represents 31 per cent. of the total TNA seats and falls within the requirements of the Transitional Administrative Law, which calls for at least 25 per cent. representation of women in the TNA. The
 
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elected women include Shia Arabs, Sunni Arabs, Sunni Turcomans, Christians (including Assyrian), Sunni Kurds and Shia (Fayli) Kurds.

The TNA is in the process of forming the Iraqi Transitional Government and has not yet announced ministerial appointments.

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many women have been elected to local government in Iraq; and what percentage of total elected representatives this represents. [220078]

Mr. Mullin [holding answer 4 March 2005]: The Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq has not yet announced final figures of how many women elected to provincial councils in Iraq. However, results obtained so far show that women elected in the southern provinces include Basra (13), Dhi Qar (8), Maysan (10) and Muthanna (10), a total of 41 women equating to around 30 Per cent. In Kirkuk, around 25 per cent. of those elected are women.

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 withdrawal of forces from Jericho. [218726]

Mr. Rammell: We have not made specific representations to the Israeli Government concerning the withdrawal of forces from Jericho. We welcome the announcement following the Sharm el Sheikh summit on 8 February that Israel will transfer control of a number of West Bank cities to Palestinian Authority control. We call upon both sides to continue to make progress on commitments made at Sharm el Sheikh.

Lebanon

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the US Administration concerning the assassination of Rafik Hariri. [218628]

Mr. Rammell: Although my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not discussed the death of Mr. Hariri directly with the US Secretary of State, our Embassy in Washington, and officials in London, have had high level contact with the US Administration on the issue. My noble Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean visited Lebanon on 24–25 February, and inter alia, met members of Mr. Hariri's family to express the condolences of the United Kingdom. We will continue to work closely with the US Administration and others as the UN investigation into Mr. Hariri's assassination progresses.

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the (a) Israeli, (b) Syrian and (c) Lebanese Government regarding the assassination of Rafik Hariri. [218629]

Mr. Rammell: Our embassies in Tel Aviv, Damascus and Beirut have been in contact with their host Governments on this issue. My noble Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean raised our concerns about the death of Mr. Hariri with Lebanese Foreign
 
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Minister Hammoud during her visit to Lebanon on 24–25 February. She also met members of Mr. Hariri's family to express the condolences of the United Kingdom.

North Korea

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on North Korea. [218575]

Mr. Rammell: Her Majesty's Government is deeply concerned by the announcement that North Korea has suspended its participation in 6 Party Talks (6PT). The world is looking for early progress in the discussions. We deplore North Korea's refusal to negotiate on the issue, the resolution of which would bring so much benefit to the people of that country. We call on the government of North Korea to review its decision, to reconfirm its commitment to the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, and to re-engage in discussions with the other participants of the 6PT process to achieve their objective peacefully through negotiation. We also continue to be gravely concerned about the human rights situation in North Korea and raise this regularly with the North Korean authorities at Ministerial and official level.

Official Secrets Act

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many civil servants were suspended or sacked from employment by his Department under suspicion of breaching the Official Secrets Act 1989 in each year since 2001. [220240]

Mr. Mullin [holding answer 7 March 2005]: None.

Palestinian Authority

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many women have been appointed to posts within the Palestinian Authority; and what their responsibilities are. [220076]

Mr. Mullin [holding answer 4 March 2005]: There are two women in the new Palestinian Authority cabinet, which was announced on 24 February. Zahira Kamal is Minister for Women's Affairs, and held the same position in the previous cabinet. Hind Khoury is a newly-appointed Minister without portfolio.

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