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26 Jan 2006 : Column 2238W—continued
Cuba
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the meetings held by his Department with officials from the US to discuss relations with and policy towards Cuba since 1997. [44590]
Ian Pearson [holding answer 24 January 2006]: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office regularly holds meetings with US officials that include discussions about relations with and policy towards Cuba. To collate the information would incur disproportionate costs.
We continue to differ with the US in our policy towards Cuba. While the US favours sanctions and isolation, we prefer constructive engagement with the Cuban authorities. We frequently reiterate our differing approach to US officials in meetings with them. On 8 November 2005, we again voted to adopt the resolution of the United Nations General Assembly on the necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the US against Cuba.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of prison conditions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and what visits to penal establishments have been made by embassy staff. [44580]
Ian Pearson: Prison conditions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) remain poor, with frequent cases of overcrowding, malnutrition, ill treatment and disease. Years of conflict, exacerbated by the collapse of the state and chronic poverty, have resulted in abuses of humanitarian standards and insufficient government funds to maintain prisons. We have repeatedly called on the DRC authorities to respect international humanitarian law and Human Rights Conventions. We continue to register our concerns over human rights with the DRC Government in bilateral and multilateral political discussions.
Staff from the embassy and the Department for International Development in Kinshasa have made regular visits to prisons in different cities across the DRC over the last 12 months. They liaise regularly with UN staff monitoring human rights and the rule of law, who have regular access to the majority of the country's prisons.
EU Council Meetings
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) formal and (b) informal EU Council Ministers meetings he has attended since 1 July 2005; and if he will list the dates and subjects of the meetings. [44963]
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Mr. Douglas Alexander: Since 1 July 2005, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has attended the following seven formal Council of Ministers meetings:
In addition, he attended the 15–16 December meeting of Heads of State or Government—the European Council—in Brussels.
He has also attended one informal Council meeting since 1 July: the Foreign Affairs Informal (or 'Gymnich') in Newport on 1–2 September.
Full details of all the above meetings can be found on the UK presidency website available at, www.eu2005.gov.uk.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union for January; and if he will list the major European Union events for the next six months. [45189]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union for January is as follows:
Council of Ministers meetings:
Informal Ministerial meetings:
During the first six months of 2006, the European Union, under the Austrian presidency, will hold meetings of EU Heads of State or Government ('European Councils') on 23–24 March and 15–16 June, 32 Council of Ministers meetings and 14 informal ministerial meetings. Full details of these and other major European Union events for the next six months can be found on the website of the Austrian presidency, available at www.eu2006.au.
Fiji
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his assessment is of the security situation in Fiji. [45352]
Ian Pearson: Although tensions between the Government and the armed forces have re-surfaced in recent weeks, the situation in Fiji is now calm following talks between the Acting President, the Prime Minister and the Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel advice for Fiji was amended on 13 January. British nationals are advised to exercise caution, to avoid demonstrations and to keep up-to-date with local developments.
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Holocaust Memorial Day
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to mark Holocaust Memorial Day. [45550]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, an independent charity supported by the Home Office, is responsible for Holocaust Memorial Day and organises the annual commemorative event. This year's event will be held in Cardiff on 26 January under the theme One person can make a difference", hosted by my right hon. Friend for Cardiff West, Rhodri Morgan, AM. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) will be represented by officials.
The FCO leads the UK delegation to the Task Force for International Co-operation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance and Research, in which a number of UK community groups participate.
The UK supported the UN General Assembly Resolution of 1 November 2005 designating 27 January as the annual Holocaust Memorial Day.
Illegal Drugs
Mr. Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much the Government spent in (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04 on the reducing availability strand of its policy to prevent the supply of illegal drugs. [44120]
Dr. Howells: The Government's planned expenditure on reducing the supply of drugs in 2002–03 and 2003–04 is given in its publication Updated Drugs Strategy 2002". The amounts are £376 million and £380 million respectively.
Iraq
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the UK has sought clarification from the US as to whether it will retain military bases in Iraq after the withdrawal of troops. [45041]
Ian Pearson: The issue of future US military bases in Iraq is a matter for the US Government and the Government of Iraq. The UK remains in close touch with the US Government about a range of issues in Iraq, including military planning and basing issues.
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what volume of gas at Iraqi oil production facilities is being lost per day as a result of flaring at the point of production; [45363]
(2) what the dollar average revenue received is by the Iraqi Government per barrel of oil produced. [45364]
Ian Pearson:
Iraq sells its oil on the world market and the revenue gained is subject to fluctuations according to the world market price. The dollar average revenue per barrel of oil for 2005 was US$ 46.89. In 2005, Iraqi revenue from oil sales was US$ 23.5 billion. The latest estimate from the Iraq Reconstruction Management Office in Baghdad for the amount of gas flared is 770 million standard cubic feet per day for the south of Iraq and 20 million standard cubic feet per day for the north.
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Israel
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reasons European Union Foreign Ministers decided not to publish the report by the British Consulate in Jerusalem on Israel's activities in the Occupied Territories; and if he will make a statement. [44763]
Dr. Howells: The EU remains concerned about the situation in East Jerusalem. EU Foreign Ministers discussed this at their meetings on 21 November and on 12 December 2005.
The EU analysis on East Jerusalem was submitted to Ministers by heads of mission in the region as well as by various committees in Brussels. A draft version of the report was leaked to the press.
At their meeting on 12 December 2005 EU Ministers decided, in response to changed circumstances in Israel and the Occupied Territories, including the imminence of elections on both sides, that publishing the report would be counter-productive. East Jerusalem issues remain a high priority for the UK and EU when lobbying the Israeli Government at all levels.
Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has made representations to the Israeli authorities on the operation of a blacklist of persons not allowed to enter the occupied territories. [44907]
Dr. Howells: Where appropriate, we raise individual cases on behalf of British Nationals who are on the Israeli Authorities Government's blacklist.
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