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16 Mar 2006 : Column 2460W—continued

Correspondence

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter dated 6 April 2005 from Nicola Sturgeon, MSP for Glasgow region, regarding Ali Javaid Pal and Shamshad Perveen. [58306]

Dr. Howells: UKvisas replied on 22 June 2005, but addressed this to my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Central (Mr. Sarwar) in error and sent it to the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh. UKvisas apologises for this error. UKvisas will now confirm the current
 
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validity of the information in this letter and send it to Nicola Sturgeon, the Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow, within seven days.

European Employment Practices

Mr. Chope: To ask the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Spanish government to allow Spanish nationals in the UK to undertake conveyancing in Spain. [58606]

Bridget Prentice: I am replying as this question falls within my Department's responsibility.

Conveyancing in Spain can only be practised by notaries who are also Spanish. The UK Government and the European Commission are aware of this situation and the European Commission is investigating whether this is in breach of competition rules.

Holy See

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make a statement on the operation of the Lateran Treaty; [55815]

(2) what consultations he undertook before closing the offices of the British embassy to the Holy See; and if he will make a statement; [55816]

(3) what recent representations he has received about the closure of the offices of the British embassy in the Holy See; if he will place in the Library copies of such representations; and if he will make a statement; [55817]

(4) what discussions he has had with the Vatican about the closure of the offices of the British embassy in the Holy See; and if he will make a statement; [55818]

(5) if he will make a statement on the future of the British embassy in the Holy See; [55819]

(6) how many staff were employed by the British embassy in the Holy See in each year since 1997; at what grade each was employed; and how many were locally engaged staff; [55820]

(7) what estimate he has made of the savings to his Department of the closure of the offices of the United Kingdom embassy to the Holy See; and if he will make a statement; [55859]

(8) what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues about the closure of the offices of the British embassy in the Holy See; and if he will make a statement. [55861]

Mr. Douglas Alexander: The Lateran Treaty comprises three agreements dating from 11 February 1929. They provided for the mutual recognition of the Kingdom (later the Republic) of Italy and the Holy See. The UK is not a party to those agreements and as such their operation is a matter for the Holy See and the Republic of Italy.

As my right. hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary said in his Written Statement on 15 December 2004, Official Report, column 138WS, there is no question of closing our embassy to the Holy See". It remains an important part of our overseas network.
 
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The embassy was, however, relocated in July 2005 from its rented offices in Via Condotti, to the compound where our embassy to the Republic of Italy is located. That decision was taken as a result of security concerns and in order to improve efficiency. The move took place with the prior consent of the Holy See. Our embassy to the Holy See remains separate from our embassy to Republic of Italy, with a separate building, flag and plaque. We estimate annual savings on rent to be €59,000.

On the question of staffing, the new ambassador was appointed through open competition last year. The appointment was warmly welcomed by Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, the Archbishop of Westminster.

Following an internal review of the embassy in 2005, a reduction was made of the equivalent of one part-time member of staff. Before the review and from 2001 the ambassador was supported by a part-time Deputy Head of Mission, a full-time locally engaged assistant and two part-time locally engaged support staff. (Between 1997 and 2000 the Deputy Head of Mission worked full-time). The ambassador is now supported by a full-time locally engaged political officer and a full-time locally engaged assistant/support officer.

International Criminal Court

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken by his Department to ensure that the International Criminal Court is able to fulfil its mandate. [58858]

Dr. Howells: The UK is a firm supporter, in principle and in practice, of the International Criminal Court (ICC), and is committed to respecting the court's independence. From time to time, the ICC requests assistance from states parties, either in relation to an ongoing investigation or in relation to the wider functioning of the court. To protect the integrity of the court's investigations, it would not be appropriate to comment on their operational aspects nor to reveal what support the UK has provided in response to ICC requests. The UK remains ready to consider any specific request put forward by the court.

More broadly, the UK supports the functioning of the court in a number of key areas. A generic witness relocation agreement was concluded with the court in November 2004, and an exchange of letters on information-sharing was signed in August 2005. Negotiations on an agreement, at the court's request, on the enforcement of sentences are well advanced.

The Government will continue to support the ICC as it takes forward its investigations, and to maintain political pressure on all parties to provide full co-operation to the ICC.

Besides our contribution to the general budget of the ICC (£5.8 million), the UK contributed £110,000 in 2005 to activities relating to the ICC. We continue to lobby Governments around the world to accede to the Rome Statute and widen the jurisdiction of the court.
 
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Iran

Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of whether Iran has any undeclared centrifuge production capacity; and if he will make a statement. [56114]

Mr. Straw: We have no evidence that Iran has any undeclared uranium centrifuge enrichment capability. However, the International Atomic Energy Agency's report of 27 February notes that

and that

Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his assessment is of whether Iran has recommenced (a) manufacture and assembly of gas centrifuge components and (b) installation of gas centrifuges at its Natanz facility; and if he will make a statement. [56115]

Mr. Straw: The Iranian Government has informed the International Atomic Energy Agency that it intends to recommence manufacture, assembly and installation of gas centrifuges or related components at Natanz. We cannot confirm whether they have yet done so. We believe that this would be an unhelpful development, which would do little to restore international confidence that Iran's nuclear programme is for purely peaceful purposes.

Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of how close to completion the Iranian pilot-scale centrifuge plant at Natanz is; and if he will make a statement. [56116]

Mr. Straw: Iran has continued construction of the buildings for both the pilot fuel enrichment plant (PFEP) and the fuel enrichment plant (FEP) at Natanz. Since the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) seals were removed on 11 January, Iran has resumed work on the gas handling system at the PFEP and has begun installing and testing P-l centrifuges in cascades of up to 20 machines. Iran has informed the IAEA that it intends to commence installation of the first 3000 P-l machines at the FEP in the fourth quarter of 2006.

We believe that continued enrichment activity, on any scale, would allow Iran to take significant steps towards mastering the technology. Given Iran's past history of concealment and deception and its failure to take the steps necessary to begin rebuilding international confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of its nuclear programme, persisting with this activity will increase international concern and make reaching a long term agreement more difficult. In its resolution adopted on 4 February 2005, the IAEA Board of Governors reiterated its call for Iran to re-establish full and sustained suspension of all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, including research and development.
 
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Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the current installed capacity of the Natanz pilot plant; and if he will make a statement. [56117]

Mr. Straw: A number of single centrifuges, as well as two test cascades, of 10 and 20 enrichment centrifuges respectively, are currently installed at the Natanz pilot plant.

Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of Iran's development of gas-centrifuge uranium enrichment technology; and if he will make a statement. [56118]

Mr. Straw: Iran's gas-centrifuge technology, in particular the designs for P1 and P2 centrifuges, was acquired with assistance from an international proliferation supply network. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have reported that Iran has conducted small scale enrichment activities at the Kalaye Electric facility in Tehran, and subsequently constructed a test cascade at Natanz which operated briefly in 2003. On 3 January 2006, Iran announced its intention to resume industrial scale enrichment.

The IAEA Director General has recently reported to the IAEA Board of Governors that Iran had worked on an indigenous modified P2 design. His report also noted that

Iran has no civil requirement for the uranium conversion facility at Esfahan or for the enrichment facility at Natanz. Most countries have concluded that it does not make economic sense to develop costly conversion and enrichment facilities to support a small number of power reactors. In any case, the Russians have contracted to supply fuel for 10 years to Iran's only reactor under construction at Bushehr; and have offered to continue supply for the lifetime of the reactor if the Iranians so choose.

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government supports sanctions against Iran in relation to its nuclear programme; and if he will make a statement. [57872]

Dr. Howells: We supported the decision of the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) Board of Governors in February to report the question of Iran's nuclear programme to the United Nations Security Council. We are now consulting Security Council partners about next steps. We expect the Security Council to respond to the actions taken by Iran. Speculation about possible United Nations sanctions is premature. But Iran should be under no doubt that, if it continues to defy the international community, the Security Council will respond. Iran needs to take the steps deemed necessary by the IAEA Board in its 4 February resolution, including reinstating a full and verifiable suspension of all enrichment-related and reprocessing activity.
 
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Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with officials from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Iran's nuclear enrichment policy; what the UK position on this was at the IAEA meeting in Vienna; and what steps the Government plans to take in relation to Iran's nuclear programme. [57874]

Dr. Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) officials are in regular contact with the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and his staff.

At the IAEA Board of Governors meeting on 8 March, the British ambassador to the IAEA made a statement on behalf of the UK, France and Germany. This noted our serious concern at Iran's failure to take the steps deemed necessary by the Board, and stated that the time had come for the United Nations Security Council to reinforce the authority of the IAEA and the Board's resolutions. The full text of the statement is available on the FCO website:

The IAEA Board agreed at its meeting on 4 February that the Security Council should become involved. We are discussing next steps with Security Council members and other international partners.

Mr. Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has (a) issued guidance to and (b) received requests for advice from sporting and cultural bodies on maintaining links with Iran. [58992]

Dr. Howells: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does not issue guidance of this kind, but we encourage people to people contacts with Iran and do what we can to facilitate this. Individuals or groups requesting travel advice are directed to the relevant section of the FCO website, which is updated regularly. Sporting and cultural groups seeking advice on other issues are normally directed to the country pages for Iran on the FCO website or to the British Council, or are briefed by officials depending on the nature of the enquiry.

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