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Mr. Nick Baker

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information his Department has received concerning the state of health of Mr. Nick Baker who is in prison in Japan; andwhat discussions (a) he and (b) his officials have had with Japanese officials concerning Mr. Baker's case. [224449]

Mr. Mullin: Our embassy in Japan and the Consular Directorate in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) are monitoring Mr. Baker's case closely, including his state of health. Embassy officials have discussed health issues with Mr. Baker during consular visits and raised them with Japanese officials where necessary. For reasons of consular confidentiality we cannot reveal detailed information about Mr. Baker's health.

The FCO is also monitoring Mr. Baker's appeal against his conviction, which is continuing in the Japanese courts. Embassy officials raise Mr Baker's case with the Japanese authorities whenever appropriate.

The FCO remains in touch with Mr. Baker and his family and will inform them of any developments in his case.
 
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Nuclear Proliferation

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the report Multilateral Approaches to the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Expert Group Report, submitted to the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, INFCIRC/640, 22 February; and whether he plans to adopt its recommendations in United Kingdom submissions to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in May in New York. [224003]

Mr. MacShane: The report represents a preliminary assessment of the options for strengthening the proliferation resistance of the civil nuclear fuel cycle, while assuring supply of fuel for peaceful civil nuclear purposes: We believe it is a valuable contribution to the debate. We will, as the report recommends, be investigating the practicality, feasibility and usefulness of the approaches it sets out. We will continue to take an active part in the debate.

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the oral answer of 1 March 2005, Official Report, column 805, on Iran, which part of Article 2 of the Non-Proliferation Treaty allows the United Kingdom to hold nuclear weapons. [224044]

Mr. MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, in answer to my hon. Friend's oral question of 1 March, stated that the United Kingdom was allowed to hold nuclear weapons under Article 2 of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and that non-nuclear weapon states were defined as such by Article IV of the Treaty. The correct position on the definitions of the articles and our obligations under the treaty articles is set out in my reply to my hon. Friend on 15 March 2005, Official Report, columns 222–23W.

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the United Kingdom has made representations to any non-nuclear weapons states in respect of the development or operation of (a) spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plants, (b) uranium enrichment plants and (c) separated plutonium stores. [224045]

Mr. MacShane: The UK, as a State Party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), upholds the inalienable right of non-nuclear weapon states to thepeaceful use of nuclear energy under Article IV of the Treaty, in conformity with Articles I and II of the Treaty. The UK also seeks to uphold, and is committed to, all other Articles of the Treaty. It actively participates in and promotes, in the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Nuclear Suppliers Group and other relevant for a such as the G8, compliance with the international nuclear non-proliferation obligations set out in the NPT and other international instruments.

Syria/Lebanon

Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of whether Syria's recent troop deployment is compliant with United Nations Security Council resolution 1559; and if he will make a statement. [224125]

 
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Mr. Rammell: The ongoing redeployment of Syrian troops to the Beka'a Valley and withdrawal of some to Syria is a first step in the implementation of UNSCR 1559. Among other terms, the resolution requires all Syrian forces, including intelligence and security personnel, to withdraw from Lebanon. The Government notes the undertaking made by Syrian Foreign Minister Shara'a's letters of 29 March 2005 to the UN Secretary General and the President of the UN Security Council to withdraw all Syrian troops from Lebanon by May.

Uranium Enrichment Facilities

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the possibility of limiting uranium enrichment and reprocessing plants to countries that already have the facilities. [223320]

Mr. MacShane: The Government is committed to ensuring that sensitive nuclear items, such as enrichment and reprocessing plants, which have clear proliferation potential, are not exported to states that may seek to use them for weapons purposes.

Recognising this, the UK is committed to strengthening the Nuclear Suppliers Group Guidelines, which control the export of such equipment, with a series of tough criteria that a recipient state must adhere to in order to receive such transfers. This will provide suppliers of nuclear items with adequate assurances that transferred items will not be used for non-peaceful purposes. The criteria are relevant whether or not the recipient state is in possession of equipment and reprocessing facilities.

Western Sahara

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has held with the (a) UN, (b) Polisaro Front and (c) Government of Morocco on holding a referendum on the future of the Western Sahara. [224597]

Mr. Rammell: UK officials hold regular discussions with the parties to the Western Sahara dispute and UN officials. These focus on ensuring that the UN process leads to a fair and lasting solution to this dispute that provides the people of the Western Sahara with an opportunity to exercise their right to self-determination.

Written Ministerial Statements

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has concluded his discussions with ministerial colleagues on the provision of written ministerial statements prior to and following all Council of Ministers' meetings to provide details of the meeting's agenda and its outcomes; and if he will make a statement. [224109]

Mr. MacShane: After consultation with ministerial colleagues, I made proposals to provide written ministerial statements prior to and following all Council of Ministers meetings to the chairs of the Commons European Scrutiny and Lords EU Select Committees. The proposals were generally well-received.
 
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I am now in the process of reporting back the Committees' views to ministerial colleagues. I will announce any new initiative for reporting on Council of Ministers meetings by way of a written ministerial statement.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Correspondence

Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she will reply to the letter dated 16 February from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to John Gilburn. [224361]

Mr. Caborn: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 3 April.

Digital Switchover

Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assistance the Department plans to give to those on low incomes to obtain the necessary equipment in advance of digital switchover. [224098]

Estelle Morris: As the Charter Review Green Paper makes clear, the vast majority of citizens will need only a source of good information to help them through switchover. However, we are working with the BBC and others to assess the scope of measures required to ensure the interests of the most vulnerable customers are protected.

Licensing

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the application of the provisions of the Licensing Act 2003 to alcohol wholesalers who rent their business space. [224368]

Mr. Caborn: Under the 2003 Act, sales of alcohol which are made to traders for the purposes of their trade, including another wholesaler, or to holders of club premises certificates, premises licences or personal licences, or premises users who have given temporary event notices for the purpose of making sales authorised by these permissions or notices, are not licensable. However a sale, not in the class above, made to a member of the public, even if in wholesale quantities, will become a licensable activity under the 2003 Act when it is fully operational. A premises licence would therefore be required for the premises where the alcohol is stored prior to despatch if any of the alcohol is to be dispatched to the public, whether or not the business space was rented. In addition under the 2003 Act no supply of alcohol, in retail or wholesale quantities to the public, may be made unless it is made or authorised by a person who holds a personal licence.

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