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19 Feb 2007 : Column 381W—continued
EC Law
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will bring forward proposals to enable the House to consider the activation of passerelle provisions in EC treaty law before they are implemented as referred to in the answer of 10 July 2006, Official Report, column 1528W, on passerelle clauses. [121589]
Mr. Hoon: There are three passerelle provisions in the treaty establishing the European Community. These are articles 67(2), 137(2) and 175(2). They cover certain aspects of immigration, asylum and judicial co-operation in civil matters (67(2)), social provisions (137(2)), and environmental policy (175(2)).
As noted in my answer to the hon. Member on 10 July 2006, Official Report, column 1528W, to date only the passerelle provision in article 67(2) has been activated. Articles 137(2) and 175(2) require that any proposals to activate the passerelle provisions in these areas would be put forward by the European Commission. The Government are unaware of any Commission proposals to use articles 137(2) and 175(2) at this point. If there are any developments in future, we will ensure that Parliament is kept informed through the parliamentary scrutiny process.
European Union: Advertising
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what issues the EU is permitted to spend funds advertising on UK television and radio. [121462]
Mr. Hoon: It is the responsibility of the representations of the EU institutions in each member state to allocate their budgets for promotional activity. Any such advertising on UK television and radio would need to comply with the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice advertising code.
Guantanamo Bay
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with her American counterparts on the future of Guantanamo Bay. [121222]
Dr. Howells: We discuss a wide range of detainee issues, including Guantanamo Bay, with the US Administration on a regular basis.
The Government believe that Guantanamo Bay should close. President Bush has said he would like to close Guantanamo Bay as soon as practicable. We welcome this, and the US Government’s efforts to reduce numbers at the camp. Careful consideration, however, needs to be given to how numbers at the camp can be reduced so that international security is maintained, while ensuring the human rights of the detainees are respected, including if they are transferred back to their country of nationality.
We continue to raise humanitarian concerns about detentions at Guantanamo Bay with the US authorities.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with the US authorities on transferring of detainees at Guantanamo Bay to other countries; and if she will make a statement. [121223]
Dr. Howells: We discuss a wide range of detainee issues, including Guantanamo Bay, with the US Administration on a regular basis.
The Government believe that Guantanamo Bay should be closed. President Bush has said he would like to close Guantanamo Bay as soon as practicable. We welcome the US government’s efforts to reduce numbers at the camp. Careful consideration, however, needs to be given to how numbers at the camp can be reduced so that international security is maintained, while ensuring the human rights of the detainees are respected, including if they are transferred back to their country of nationality.
Indonesia
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when she next expects to visit Indonesia. [121452]
Mr. McCartney: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary currently has no plans to visit Indonesia.
However, she has recently had valuable discussions with her Indonesian counterpart, along with the Indonesian Trade and Defence Ministers, at the inaugural session of the UK-Indonesia Partnership Forum on 31 January 2007. The Ministers discussed strategic co-operation on counter-terrorism, good governance and a range of international issues including climate change and UN reform.
The establishment of the Partnership Forum builds on the success of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s visit to Indonesia in March 2006 and is a sign of the growing strength of the partnership between the UK and Indonesia and the commitment of the two countries to building an effective and co-ordinated approach to common challenges.
Iraq: Emigration
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate she has made of the number of Iraqi (a) scientists and (b) government officials who left Iraq for Syria in the month before the allied invasion of Iraq in 2003. [120464]
Dr. Howells: It is the long-standing policy of the Government not to comment on intelligence matters.
Iraq: Oil
Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings officials from her Department have held with international oil companies since January 2003 to discuss Iraq; and what subjects were discussed. [119364]
Dr. Howells:
Our work on Iraq’s economic and energy sector has included contacts with oil companies,
as well as trade unions representatives and non-governmental organisations. These exchanges have included discussion of Iraq’s evolving hydrocarbons legislation where British international oil companies' have valuable perspectives to offer based on their experience in other countries.
Discussions with international oil companies on hydrocarbons legislation have included the range of contract types which Iraq is considering.
Iraq: Weapons
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the (a) nature and (b) quantity of (i) chemical and (ii) biological weapons or weapons capability that was transferred from Iraq to (A) Syria and (B) Lebanon in the six months prior to the allied invasion of Iraq in 2003; and if she will make a statement. [120465]
Dr. Howells: It is the long-standing policy of the Government not to comment on intelligence matters.
Lord Butler had uninhibited access to all UK intelligence material and other relevant Government papers relating to Iraqi Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). Having fully accepted Lord Butler’s recommendations, which have now been implemented, the Government do not propose re-opening the debate on issues which were fully covered in his report.
The hon. Member may find it useful to refer to the March 2005 Addendums to the Comprehensive Report of the Special Advisor to the (US) Director of Central Intelligence on Iraq’s WMD, which covers the issue of movement of any WMD out of Iraq in the period leading up to the 2003 conflict.
The report can be found on the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency website at: https://www.cia.gov/cia/reports/iraq_wmd_2004/addenda.pdf.
Islam: Festivals and Special Occasions
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the budget is of her Department's delegation to the Hajj. [121441]
Dr. Howells: For the financial year 2006-07 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office budgeted £78,870 for the British Hajj delegation.
Kashmir
Mr. David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the situation in Kashmir. [121451]
Dr. Howells: We welcome the shared commitment by India and Pakistan to continue their dialogue process to seek a resolution of all outstanding issues, including Kashmir. The fourth round of the Composite Dialogue is scheduled to begin in March.
We remain concerned about acts of terrorism in Kashmir. We continue to encourage Pakistan to stand by its commitment to prevent infiltration across the Line of Control.
We also continue to press for an improvement in the human rights situation in Kashmir, where there are continued reports of human rights violations.
Kosovo
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the timetable is for resolving the status of Kosovo. [121415]
Mr. Hoon: UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari presented his draft settlement proposals to the parties in Belgrade and Pristina on 2 February. There will now be a period of consultation with the parties before he submits his proposals to the UN Security Council. The precise timetable is a matter for President Ahtisaari.
We continue to encourage both Pristina and Belgrade to engage positively with the UN Special Envoy. We support the Special Envoy’s efforts to bring the Kosovo status process through to completion, enabling the Balkan region to move beyond the conflicts of the recent past towards a future with a European and Euro-Atlantic perspective.
Libya
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans she has to visit Libya; and if she will make a statement. [119675]
Dr. Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has no current plans to visit Libya.
The hon. Member will be aware that my right hon. Friend the then Home Secretary (Mr. Clarke) and I visited Libya in 2006, as did my hon. Friend the Minister for Higher Education and Lifelong Learning (Bill Rammell) and my hon. Friend the then Minister of State for Trade, Investment and Foreign Affairs (Ian Pearson). I last met Libyan Europe Minister Obidi in London on 28 November 2006 to continue our discussions on bilateral issues. The UK and Libya continue to develop and strengthen co-operation in a range of areas, including in health, education, migration, policing, trade and investment, and counter-terrorism. Senior officials have visited Libya recently to pursue this.
Lord Levy
Mr. Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost of providing (a) accommodation and (b) expenses for overseas trips by Lord Levy was in each year since his appointment. [120690]
Dr. Howells: On nearly every visit my noble Friend Lord Levy stayed at the residence of the ambassador. Lord Levy receives no remuneration and travels at his own expense.
Mr. Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 25 January 2007, Official Report, column 1951W, on Lord Levy, why the Foreign Office website states that Lord Levy was present in Kazakhstan in August 2003; on what date he flew to Kazakhstan; and whether his outbound flight was paid for from the public purse. [120740]
Mr. Hoon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office website has been amended to show that my noble Friend Lord Levy travelled to Kazakhstan on 31 August 2003 and was there on 1-2 September 2003.
My noble Friend Lord Levy receives no remuneration and travels at his own expense when acting as my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy.
Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who she expects to represent the UK at the non-proliferation treaty preparatory committee meeting in Geneva in May. [120810]
Dr. Howells: The UK delegation to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty preparatory committee in Vienna in May will be headed by Ambassador John Duncan, the United Kingdom’s Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva. He will be accompanied by officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Ministry of Defence and the Department of Trade and Industry. No decision has yet been made on ministerial attendance.
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what policy statement will be made by UK representatives at the non-proliferation treaty preparatory committee meeting in Geneva in May; and if she will make a statement. [120811]
Dr. Howells: No final decision has yet been made on the number and content of any statements that the UK will make at the nuclear non-proliferation treaty preparatory committee in Vienna in May. We expect that, at a minimum, we will make a national statement during the opening plenary session. A copy of this statement will be placed in the Library of the House.
Permanent Committee on Geographical Names
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost of the Permanent Committee on Geographical Names was in the last year for which figures are available. [121394]
Mr. Hoon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office paid £59,826.83 for the Permanent Committee on Geographical Names for the financial year 2005-06. This represents one third of the total costs, the other two-thirds being met by the Ministry of Defence.
Rafiq Gorgi
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the British embassy has taken to assist Mr Rafiq Gorgi in his request for his deceased wife's personal belongings to be returned. [121438]
Dr. Howells:
Before he left Saudi Arabia in January, Mr. Gorgi took possession of all his wife's belongings with the exception of her Koran, which could not be
found. Following several requests to the Saudi authorities to continue the search for the Koran, they confirmed to our consulate in Jeddah on 4 February that it could not be found and must be assumed lost. We informed Mr. Gorgi on the same day.
Saudi Arabia
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when she next plans to visit Saudi Arabia. [121439]
Dr. Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is actively considering visiting Saudi Arabia but foreign engagements for my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and other Ministers are kept under constant review. It is not our practice to announce such visits until they are firm. Because of the unpredictable nature of world events, final decisions on overseas visits are often not possible until very shortly before the day of travel.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Ministers in her Department have visited Saudi Arabia in (a) 2004, (b) 2005 and (c) 2006; and for what purpose. [121444]
Dr. Howells: Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers visited Saudi Arabia as follows:
2004: My right hon. Friend the then Foreign Secretary (Mr. Straw)
2005: My noble Friend the then Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister of State (right hon. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean)
2006: Mr. Straw undertook two separate visits.
The purpose of these visits was to promote bilateral relations and discuss regional issues.
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