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European Union

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans the Government have to improve the regulatory environment in the EU during the UK presidency. [9975]

Mr. Douglas Alexander: Advancing Better Regulation in the EU is a priority during the UK presidency. Improving the regulatory environment is central to
 
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increasing EU competitiveness. For further information, I refer my hon. Friend to the White Paper on the UK's presidency of the European Union (Cm 6611).

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans the Government have to propose changes to the EU Services Directive during the UK presidency. [9977]

Mr. Douglas Alexander: I refer my hon. Friend to the White Paper on the UK's presidency of the European Union (Cm 6611). The Services Directive is a crucial next step for the Single Market, vital for growth and jobs. The UK presidency will take forward discussion with a view to resolving the political and social concerns about the Directive.

Government Wine Cellar

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many bottles of (a) blue chip list wines, (b) fine wines, (c) reception or drinking wines and (d) spirits and liqueurs were held in the Government wine cellar, managed by his Department in each of the last five years; what the estimated value was in each year; what the total estimated value of the Government wine cellar was in each year; how much was spent on (i) blue chip list wines, (ii) fine wines, (iii) reception or drinking wines and (iv) spirits and liqueurs in each year; what the total expenditure on the Government wine cellar was in each year; and if he will make a statement. [9495]

Mr. Straw: The Government wine cellar holds approximately 37–39,000 bottles of wine at any given time. No distinction is made between blue chip" and fine" wines. Approximately 3–4,000 bottles of the stock are beverage or reception wines. Small quantities of spirits and liqueurs are held for general use. There has been no significant variation in the last five years.

From 2000–04 the valuation placed on the cellar was approximately £1.6 million. From 2004, on the advice of the National Audit Office, the valuation was changed to reflect the cost price of the stock rather than the previous market valuation. The cellar is now valued at around £0.7 million.

The total annual spend on the cellar varies from around £75,000 per annum to approximately £97,000, depending on stock levels and consumption.

Iran

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Iran's pursuit of a nuclear program. [10302]

Dr. Howells: Our policy towards Iran is one of constructive, but critical engagement. We maintain a robust dialogue on issues of concern, such as Iran's nuclear programme.

Our Government, together with France and Germany, supported by the European Union High Representative, (the E3/EU") has agreed to negotiations with Iran on long-term arrangements as laid down in the Paris Agreement of November 15 2004. These arrangements will provide objective guarantees that Iran's nuclear programme is exclusively for peaceful purposes.
 
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St. Helena's Chapel (Istanbul)

Mr. Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether his Department plans to lease the churchyard of St. Helena's chapel in Istanbul to a commercial organisation; [10759]

(2) what plans his Department has to restore St.Helena's chapel which is part of the British consulate in Istanbul. [10760]

Mr. Straw: We are considering options for St.Helena's chapel with the Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe and will continue to work for an outcome which meets the needs both of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and The Church.

UK Consular Services

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the capacity of consular services to assist stranded UK travellers in the event of a major scheduled airline failure in (a) peak season, (b) mid-season and (c) low-season. [9361]

Dr. Howells: I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the Minister for Europe gave him on 4 July 2005, Official Report, column 187W. The capacity of our consular services to assist stranded travellers in peak season would undoubtedly be stretched further than in mid or low season due to factors such as availability of alternative transport and numbers travelling. It is for this reason that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office strongly recommends that UK citizens travelling abroad take out comprehensive travel insurance.

Visa Applications

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent policy of British consulates in (a) India and (b) Jamaica in respect of visa applicants who were young, single, and of marriageable age. [9830]

Dr. Howells: There is no specific policy relating to visa applicants from either India or Jamaica who may be considered young, single and of marriageable age. The UK welcomes all genuine applicants.

Mike Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the reasons for the length of time taken to process (a) the visit visa applications of relatives of Mr. Mirza lodged in July 2004 reference numbers 851813, 851815, 851816, 851832 and 851782 and (b) the appeals lodged in January 2004. [9448]

Dr. Howells [holding answer 6 July 2005]: I regret that I cannot provide my hon. Friend with this information as under the Data Protection Act, we cannot disclose details of individual cases in a public forum without the individual's written consent. My noble Friend the Lord Triesman of Tottenham, the Foreign and Commonwealth Minister responsible for entry clearance matters arising overseas, has however written to my hon. Friend about these applications.
 
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TRANSPORT

A380 Aircraft

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those UK airports that will be able to handle the A380 aircraft; and if he will make a statement. [9676]

Ms Buck: I understand that both Heathrow and Manchester airports will be able to handle the A380 when it enters into service in 2006. Nottingham East Midlands airport will also accept the A380 from 2006 but for cargo purposes only.

Gatwick airport will be able to accept the A380 in 2006 on diversion only with plans for full operations in 2008. Stansted airport has plans to handle the A380 in 2011.

Aircraft Noise (Twickenham)

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average noise level above the Twickenham area for London Heathrow take-offs and landings (a) excluding and (b) including Concorde has been in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [10082]

Ms Buck: There is no specific noise monitoring of flights in the Twickenham area. The Civil Aviation Authority's Environmental Research and Consultancy Department produces annual noise contours at Heathrow on behalf of the Department. These are published on the Department's website. The latest report (ERCD 0401, July 2004) shows that Twickenham lies outside the 57dBA contour area normally considered to represent the onset of significant community annoyance.

Blue Badges

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what steps he is taking to reduce the theft of disabled persons' Blue Badges; [10396]

(2) if he will make it his policy to set up a national register of disabled persons' Blue Badge holders to prevent the theft and reuse of disabled persons' Blue Badges; [10397]

(3) if he will introduce legislation to make it a criminal offence intentionally to use a disabled person's Blue Badge known, or reasonably known, to be stolen; and if he will make a statement; [10398]

(4) if he will introduce legislation to make it an offence to park in a designated disabled persons parking bay without displaying a Blue Badge. [10399]

Ms Buck: The Department has made provision for a power to inspect Blue Badges through Section 94 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 and we will shortly be consulting on the guidance for enforcement officers and badge holders. The new power will be introduced later in 2005 by Commencement Order once the necessary guidance is in place. We are also reintroducing a hologram onto the badge as part of a draft regulatory package that we hope to consult on during the summer with the intention of implementing later in the year. The
 
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Department is also discussing with the Home Office ways in which the abuse of Blue Badges, including theft, can be tackled.

The Department has recently let a research contract looking into the feasibility of a national Blue Badge database. This is scheduled for completion in December 2005, when the final report containing recommendations should be available.

It is already an offence under Section 21 (4B) of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970, as introduced by Section 35(4) of the Road Traffic Act 1991, to drive a motor vehicle displaying a badge unless the badge is properly issued and displayed. It is also an offence under Section 47 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to park a vehicle which is not displaying a badge in a designated disabled persons' parking bay.

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