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Illegal Whaling

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many illegal whalers were prosecuted for activities in and around (a) the Antarctic, (b) South Georgia and (c) the South Sandwich Islands in each of the last eight years. [36079]

Mr. Douglas Alexander: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him today (UIN 36081). Whaling in waters adjacent to the Antarctic is regulated by the International Whaling Commission. We are not aware of any prosecutions in Antarctic waters.

The Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands operates intensive fisheries surveillance/enforcement within its 200-nautical-mile maritime zone. Illegal whalers within the zone would therefore almost certainly be detected. There have been no recorded instances of whaling vessels in South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands waters, nor consequently any prosecutions in the last eight years.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking to protect whales in and around (a) the Antarctic, (b) South Georgia and (c) the South Sandwich Islands. [36081]

Mr. Douglas Alexander: All great whale species are included in the moratorium on commercial whaling introduced by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in 1985–86. The Government strongly support the retention of the IWC moratorium. Scientific research whaling, which is permitted under the 1946 International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling, is not covered by the moratorium. The Southern Ocean Sanctuary was established by the IWC in 1994 as a protected area for whales.

Commercial whaling in the waters of the 200-nautical mile Maritime Zone of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands is prohibited by the Fisheries (Conservation and Management) Ordinance 2000, as amended.
 
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Iran

Mr. Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made towards the return of British military equipment confiscated by the Iranians in the summer; and if he will make a statement. [37455]

Dr. Howells: We have pressed the Iranian authorities on numerous occasions, at both ministerial and senior official level, in Tehran and London, to return the boats and equipment they have detained since June 2004. Our discussions are on-going.

Israel

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met representatives of the Israeli Government to discuss Israel's commitment to phase 1 of the Roadmap; and if he will make a statement about Israel's progress to date. [36941]

Dr. Howells: Since disengagement, both my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I have met with members of the Israeli Government to discuss progress on their Roadmap commitments. Israel remains committed to making progress against the Roadmap.

We believe that there is an opportunity to build upon the current momentum created by disengagement and the Rafah Movement and Access Agreement.

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met representatives of the Israeli Government to discuss Israel's policy of home demolition. [36942]

Dr. Howells: We are greatly concerned by the demolition of Palestinian homes and property. We most recently raised this issue on 6 December, when the British ambassador in Tel Aviv spoke to the director general of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, expressing our concerns over the proposal to reinstate the policy of punitive house demolitions. The ambassador also set out our concerns to the chief of general staff (Lt. Gen. Dan Halutz) on 8 December.

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact of the Israeli security barrier on the Palestinian economy. [36943]

Dr. Howells: The routing of the separation barrier restricts the freedom of movement of both Palestinian people and goods in and around the West Bank. This has a detrimental effect on the Palestinian economy. We have made no specific assessment on the effects the barrier has on the Palestinian economy. We continue to raise this matter with the Israeli Government.

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 5 December 2005, Official Report, column 1028W, on Israel, if he will raise his concerns about the indiscriminate damage caused by low-flying aircraft in Gaza with the UN. [38014]

Dr. Howells: Our voting record at the United Nations (UN) will continue to reflect our concerns regarding Israel's military actions in the Occupied Territories. The damage caused by the low flying aircraft is reported at
 
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the UN's monthly briefings. We have no plans to raise our concerns with the UN but we will continue to raise this with the Israeli Government. The ambassador in Tel Aviv raised this issue with the Israeli Defence Force Chief of General Staff on 8 December.

Longline Fisheries

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government will take steps to reduce the use of longline fisheries in the waters around (a) South Georgia, (b) the South Sandwich Islands and (c) the British Antarctic Territory. [36084]

Mr. Douglas Alexander: The longline fishery for Patagonian toothfish around South Georgia provides the mainstay revenues for the Territory.

The fishery is undertaken in a sustainable way, in line with Total Allowable Catches (TACs) and stringent conservation measures determined by an international body, the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR). This year, CCAMLR agreed to a limited TAC of 100 tonnes for the South Sandwich Islands, linked to detailed scientific research, and a TAG for South Georgia of 3,556 tonnes.

Vessel quotas and conservation measures are strictly enforced by the Government of South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, supported by a comprehensive programme of scientific research. All toothfish fisheries in the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands (SGSSI) 200-nautical-mile Maritime Zone operate strict mitigating measures to minimise by-catch of non-target species. As a result of these efforts, the incidental catch of seabirds in these fisheries is virtually nil.

The South Georgia toothfish fishery received official recognition for the sustainable way in which it is managed when it was awarded Marine Stewardship Council certification in March 2004. It is the only fisheryin the Southern Ocean to have received such certification.

Given these factors, the Government see no need to change the method of fishing for toothfish in the waters around SGSSI.

No longline fisheries are permitted in the waters adjacent to the British Antarctic Territory.

Mexico

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of (a) the relationship between Venezuela and Mexico, and (b) the effect of the decision to withdraw ambassadors. [36665]

Mr. Douglas Alexander: A disagreement between Mexico and Venezuela, including over a possible Free Trade Area of the Americas, has led to the withdrawal of their ambassadors from Caracas and Mexico City respectively. We consider this to be a bilateral issue between the two Governments.
 
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Mockbul Ali

Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what position in his Department Mr. Mockbul Ali was appointed to in the past five years; what the date was of the appointment; what its remit was; and what selection process was used in making the appointment. [37992]

Dr. Howells: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not comment publicly on the contract of employment for individual members of staff.

Nigel Potter

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the US authorities about the case of Mr. Nigel Potter, ex-chief executive of Wembley plc. [37879]

Ian Pearson: We are aware of the passage of Mr.Potter's case through the US courts. Mr. Potter has legal representation. We are unable to directly interfere in the US Judicial process but we will continue to provide Mr. Potter with appropriate consular assistance.

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