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30 Oct 2006 : Column 245W—continued
Burma
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations she has made to the Government of Burma regarding the employment of children in the Burmese armed services; and if she will make a statement. [77173]
Margaret Beckett: We remain deeply concerned about the recruitment and exploitation of children by the Burmese military. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Trade raised this issue when he met the Burmese ambassador on 15 June and again in a letter to the Burmese Foreign Minister on 5 July. Our ambassador in Rangoon reiterated our concerns about the human rights situation in Burma in a meeting with the Burmese Foreign Minister and Deputy Foreign Minister on 18 August.
China
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations she has made on behalf of (a) China’s Christian community, (b) Gao Zhishung, (c) Pastor Goug Shenghliang and (d) Pastor Zhang Ruig Laiug. [97705]
Dr. Howells: We regularly urge the Chinese Government to respect religious freedom. Officials from our embassy in Beijing accompanied the Archbishop of Canterbury during his visit to China on 18-23 October, and raised the abuse of church leaders and the restrictions against religious practitioners with the Chinese authorities. We raised freedom of religion at the last round of the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue, in Beijing in July, and included Gao Zhisheng and the case of Pastor Zhang Rongliang on a list of individual cases handed over to the Chinese authorities at the dialogue. Gao Zhisheng was also included on a list of cases we handed over to the Chinese during Premier Wen Jiabao’s visit to the UK in September. We have not made representations on the case of Pastor Gong Shenliang. However, we regularly raise individual cases of concern and are willing to consider action on any case where valid information is provided.
Colombia
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether the Minister of State with responsibility for counter narcotics and counter terrorism discussed the activities of the Serious and Organised Crime Agency during his recent visit to Colombia; [97170]
(2) whether the Minister of State with responsibility for counter narcotics and counter terrorism discussed UK counter narcotics training with members of the Colombian (a) government and (b) armed forces on his recent visit; [97172]
(3) which military personnel the Minister of State with responsibility for counter narcotics and counter terrorism met during his recent visit to Colombia; [97173]
(4) which non-governmental civil society groups the Minister of State with responsibility for counter narcotics and counter terrorism met on his recent visit to Colombia; [97174]
(5) what (a) general human rights concerns and (b) specific human rights cases the Minister of State with responsibility for counter narcotics and counter terrorism raised with Colombian officials on his recent visit; [97175]
(6) whether the Minister of State with responsibility for counter narcotics and counter terrorism raised the issue of extra-judicial executions by the Colombian armed forces with Colombian officials on his recent visit to Colombia; [97176]
(7) if she will make available the minutes of meetings held by the Minister of State with responsibility for counter narcotics and counter terrorism during his recent visit to Colombia. [97177]
Dr. Howells: I visited Colombia on 12-15 October as part of a wider visit to the region to inspect UK engagement to combat the flow of cocaine to the UK. In Bogota, I called on the Vice President, Foreign Minister and Defence Minister to discuss current co-operation and the Colombian government’s own serious commitment to this task. I emphasised in all meetings the importance which the UK attaches to co-operation to tackle the drugs problem, the essential nature of strict adherence to international human rights standards and the need for Colombia to develop its democracy and economy. All interlocutors gave clear commitments on these important issues. I also met a number of Colombian police and military personnel who are directly engaged in tackling drugs trafficking and which the UK supports, in particular through a number of training projects including bomb disposal, de-mining and rules of engagement. It is not our practice to name those involved in operational matters, nor to make public any records of discussions of operational matters. The UK will continue to support the Colombian authorities where we consider it appropriate to do so, and where we can be satisfied that our co-operation serves to develop human rights-compatible law enforcement in Colombia.
My visit also gave me the opportunity to support the concept of the shared responsibility agenda on drugs promoted by the Colombian government and which it will be taking forward, as a first step, through a conference on 2 November in London.
My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Lord Triesman of Tottenham, also raised human rights issues with the Government of Colombia when he visited the country in September this year. He met a range of interlocutors, including the Minister of Defence and Minister of Interior, as well as representatives from civil society, non-governmental organisations, trade unions, the business community and the Colombian armed forces. During his meetings he emphasised the importance the UK attaches to respect for human rights. He raised our concerns about a range of human rights issues in Colombia and encouraged the Colombian authorities to continue in their efforts to improve the human rights situation. The UK will continue to work with civil society organisations and the Colombian authorities to help achieve this and we support a number of projects related to security sector reform and human rights in this respect.
Criminal Offences
Mr. Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many criminal offences her Department has created by Orders in Council in each year since 1997. [88472]
Margaret Beckett: Most of the Orders in Council submitted by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for making by the Queen in Council which create criminal offences are Orders implementing United Nations sanctions measures and European Union sanctions measures, for example imposing asset freezes in the Overseas Territories.
Others are Orders in Council which apply to our Overseas Territories, legislation which is needed to implement obligations under treaties to which the United Kingdom has become a party, including by creating criminal offences. An example is the Chemical Weapons Act 1996, which sets out criminal offences in order to implement the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction 1993. The Act has been applied by Order in Council to the Overseas Territories.
Besides the text of those Orders that are clearly identifiable as creating criminal offences, the text of many other Orders would also have to be examined in case they create an offence or offences. The information required to identify the number of criminal offences created by all such Orders in Council is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Cyprus
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with Turkey on that country’s obligations to the EU to open up ports, airports and airspace to the Republic of Cyprus; and if she will make a statement. [96907]
Mr. Hoon: The Government regularly reminds Turkey of the importance of fulfilling its obligations to the EU, including when my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister met the Turkish Prime Minister on 3 October. The Commission will publish its annual report on Turkey on 8 November, in which it will evaluate Turkey’s implementation of its obligations, including on the Ankara Agreement Protocol. Any follow-up will be discussed by member states and will depend on the assessments contained within the report.
Departmental Staff
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many and what percentage of ambassadors were educated in (a) the state school sector, (b) the independent school sector, (c) Oxford or Cambridge university and (d) other universities. [93661]
Mr. Hoon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does not hold this data as a matter of course on all its staff. The data have been collected in order to answer this question. Of the 157 members of the diplomatic service currently serving as Heads of Mission and Governors of Overseas Territories, 92 (58.59 per cent.) were educated at schools in the independent sector, 55 (35 per cent.) in the state sector (including the current Permanent Under-Secretary and Head of the Diplomatic Service, Sir Peter Ricketts KCMG), and details of eight (5 per cent.) are not known. 77 (49 per cent.) were educated at either Oxford or Cambridge universities, 50 (32 per cent.) at other universities, 24 (15 per cent.) did not attend university, and the details of four (2.5 per cent.) are not known. Two Heads of Mission posts are currently vacant.
All posts in the diplomatic service are filled on the basis of fair and open competition, through the
internal selection boards of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or, where appropriate, interview or selection panels involving external stakeholders for the post in question. Information on educational qualifications is of no relevance to the process of appointing Heads of Mission, and is not sought by selection boards. The FCO is committed to recruiting a talented and diverse work force which reflects the society it serves, and its recruitment policies are designed to encourage applications from the widest possible range of backgrounds. The Department is active in outreach activities such as career fairs, work experience schemes and community business events to support this policy.
Entity of Republika Srpska
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with the representatives of the Entity of Republika Srpska; and if she will make a statement. [97365]
Mr. Hoon: I met Republika Srpska (RS) President Dragan Cavic on 7 June 2006 and RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik on 25 July 2006 in London. I reaffirmed the UK’s support for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s EU and NATO aspirations. However, I expressed my concern about PM Dodik’s statements on the possibility of a referendum on secession in the RS and the lack of commitment from the RS to the police restructuring agreement of October 2005. I also pressed Mr. Dodik to do everything he could to ensure full co-operation by the RS with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia.
European Union
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to her statement in Prospects for the EU in 2006 (Cm 6896), on better regulation, what the Government's position is on European Commission proposals to simplify EU legislation with regard to food packaging; and if she will make a statement. [89817]
Mr. Hoon: The Council of Ministers agreed on 25 September a common position on the Commission's proposal for a new directive on nominal quantities for pre-packaged products. The proposal, as amended by the Council, would deregulate all pre-packaged products except wines and spirits, though member states which currently maintain quantity restrictions on milk, butter, pasta or coffee, or on white sugar, would be able to retain these for a transitional period of five years (six for white sugar). The United Kingdom supports this proposal, which is a valuable step towards simplifying the corpus of EU legislation and removing out of date restrictions. The next step in the legislative process is for the European Parliament to give it a Second Reading in the light of the Council's position.
Iran
Mr. Walter:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make representations to the Iranian Government about the arrest and current whereabouts of Amir Montazini and
his wife Fereshtel Dibaj, leaders of an independent Christian Church in Mashad, Northern Iran. [97743]
Dr. Howells: We remain concerned about the situation of religious minorities in Iran and receive numerous reports of discrimination against those who practise minority faiths. Amir Montazemi and his wife Fereshteh Dibaj were arrested in Iran on 26 September and subsequently released on bail on 5 October. We have not made representations to the Iranian Government but continue to monitor the case closely.
We take all available opportunities to raise our concerns about religious freedom in Iran with the Iranian authorities and continue to press them, bilaterally and through the EU, to address the intimidation and discrimination of all religious minorities, including Christian, Baha’i and Jewish communities. At our suggestion the EU presidency raised these issues with the Iranians on 31 January and 11 April.
We also take action at the UN, and were pleased that all EU countries co-sponsored a UN General Assembly Resolution on human rights in Iran in December last year. This resolution expressed serious concern at
“The continuing discrimination, and other human rights violations against persons belonging to ethnic and religious minorities, recognised or otherwise, including Arabs, Kurds, Baluchis, Christians, Jews and Sunni Muslims, the escalation and increased frequency of discrimination and other human rights violations against the Baha’i”.
We expect Iran to uphold the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion in accordance with its obligations under Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Iraq
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many senior officials from Saddam Hussein’s regime are detained (a) without charge and (b) subsequent to being charged but awaiting trial; under what authority they are held and by whom; in which country they are being held; and if she will make a statement. [96689]
Dr. Howells: UK forces in Iraq are not detaining any senior officials from Saddam Hussein’s regime. US forces in Iraq are detaining 10 senior officials on the ground that it is necessary for imperative reasons of security under the authority conferred by United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1546 and 1637. The US is also detaining on behalf of the Government of Iraq and at its request a further 67 senior officials under Iraqi criminal procedures. These individuals will be prosecuted in the Iraqi courts. We understand the Government of Iraq is itself detaining at least one senior official of the former regime, but we are not able to confirm numbers or the legal basis of their detention.
Kosovo
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the negotiations on final status talks on Kosovo; when she expects the talks to conclude; and if she will make a statement. [97366]
Mr. Hoon: The UK fully supports the Contact Group’s Ministerial Statement of 20 September 2006 on Kosovo and the final status process. The document is available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website at: http://www.fco.gov.uk/Files/kfile/ContactGroup_statement.pdf.
We will continue to give full support to the work of the UN’s Special Envoy for the Final Status Process, Martti Ahtisaari, to make all possible efforts to help achieve a settlement by the end of 2006.
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with President Tadic on the final status talks on Kosovo; and if she will make a statement. [97368]
Mr. Hoon: I discussed the Kosovo future status process with President Tadic when we met in London on 21 June 2006. The issue was also discussed with Serbian Prime Minister Dr. Vojislav Kostunica in his meetings with my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, my noble and Learned Friend the Lord Chancellor and myself in London on 26 and 27 June 2006. We maintain a regular dialogue with the authorities in Belgrade and Pristina on the Kosovo future status process both bilaterally and with our Contact Group partners: the US, Russia, Italy, Germany and France.
Ministerial Visits
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 20 October 2006, Official Report, column 1517W, on ministerial visits, how much was recovered following investigation of the non-compliant claim; and what disciplinary action was taken. [97087]
Mr. Hoon: As a result of investigating the non-compliant claim, £91.80 was recovered. The matter was investigated in accordance with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Misconduct Procedure, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. But, having considered all of the evidence, it was decided that there was no case to answer. It would not be appropriate to comment further on an individual case.
North Korea
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what work has been done by her Department on strengthening the rules governing the withdrawal of a country from the non-proliferation treaty since North Korea's withdrawal. [96618]
Margaret Beckett:
During the last Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) review cycle, the UK, both nationally and as part of the EU, worked hard to secure consensus on ways to ensure that there is a cost associated with withdrawal from the Treaty. This work was in response to North Korea's announcement of its intention to withdraw and drew widespread support, but did not achieve the consensus required for the change to be implemented. We believe that progress made on this area during the 2005 NPT Review
Conference provides an important foundation for further efforts to strengthen the Treaty over the next review cycle.
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