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19 July 2007 : Column 520W—continued

Diplomatic Service

Mike Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK-based departmental staff there were at the British Embassy in (a) Egypt, (b) Jordan and (c) Israel in each year since 2000, broken down by grade; and how many such staff there were at the British Consulate General in Jerusalem in each such year, broken down by grade. [150550]

Dr. Howells: The following table shows the total number of UK based staff at the British embassies in Egypt, Israel and Jordan from the financial years 2000-01 to 2006-07. We are not able to disclose a breakdown of the grades of the staff working in these posts for security reasons. We keep staffing levels under constant review against operational requirements and available resources.


19 July 2007 : Column 521W
Financial year Egypt British Consulate-General Jerusalem Israel Jordan

2000-01

30

11

18

20

2001-02

35

11

18

20

2002-03

28

11

17

19

2003-04

27

12

16

15

2004-05

30

13

12

19

2005-06

26

11

12

20

2006-07

28

13

12

20


Mike Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK-based departmental staff there were at the British Embassy in (a) Syria, (b) Lebanon and (c) Iraq in each year since 2000, broken down by grade. [150551]

Dr. Howells: The following table shows the total number of UK based staff at the British embassies in Iraq, Lebanon and Syria from the financial years 2000-01 to 2006-07. We are not able to disclose a breakdown of the grades of the staff working in these posts for security reasons. We keep staffing levels under constant review against operational requirements and available resources.

Financial year Iraq Lebanon Syria

2000-01

0

7

12

2001-02

0

7

12

2002-03

0

7

13

2003-04

7

9

13

2004-05

35

9

11

2005-06

42

12

14

2006-07

40

12

12


Mike Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK-based departmental staff there were at the British Embassy in (a) Saudi Arabia, (b) United Arab Emirates and (c) Iran in each year since 2000, broken down by grade. [150552]

Dr. Howells: The following table shows the total number of UK based staff at the British embassies in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Iran from the financial years 2000-01 to 2006-07. We are not able to disclose a breakdown of the grades of the staff working in these posts for security reasons. We keep staffing levels under constant review against operational requirements and available resources.

Financial year Iran Saudi Arabia UAE

2000-01

21

34

27

2001-02

22

33

27

2002-03

24

29

29

2003-04

22

28

30

2004-05

22

25

27

2005-06

23

28

29

2006-07

27

28

31



19 July 2007 : Column 522W

EU External Relations: Entry Clearances

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the merits of joining the Russia-EU visa facilitation agreement. [150784]

Mr. Jim Murphy: The EU strategy on visa facilitation does not apply to the UK and Ireland, given our non-participation in Schengen and the common visa policy. We are under no obligation to conclude a similar agreement. The UK considers approaches for visa facilitation independently from EU proposals.

EU Reform: Treaties

Mr. Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the criteria are for triggering the holding of a referendum on proposals for change to the treaty base of the EU; and if he will make a statement. [149756]

Mr. Jim Murphy: The treaty establishing a constitution for Europe, on which the Government proposed a referendum, is now defunct. The mandate for a Reform treaty agreed by the European Council states clearly:

The UK's only ever national referendum was on European Economic Community membership in 1975. The Reform treaty will be an amending treaty in the tradition of Maastricht, Amsterdam and Nice— none of which were subject to a referendum in this country.

European Union: Conferences

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he plans to attend the EU-Africa Summit in Portugal in December 2007. [149104]

Meg Munn: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave her today (UIN 149746).

European Union: Treaties

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his European counterparts on proposals for a treaty reforming the legal basis of the European Union. [149528]

Mr. Jim Murphy: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has held discussions with the Portuguese presidency and other EU partners on many issues, including EU institutional issues.

Hamas

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what account he (a) has taken and (b) plans to take of the Hamas charter in assessing Hamas's suitability as a partner for peace in the middle east; what recent representations he has received on the matter; and if he will make a statement. [150948]


19 July 2007 : Column 523W

Dr. Howells: There are parts of the Hamas charter which are clearly unacceptable to the UK. I have made clear we will engage with those who are committed to a two-state solution through peaceful negotiations.

We have received no recent representations on the charter.

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent instructions he has given to (a) officials and (b) his diplomatic representatives on contacts with Hamas in (i) the west bank and (ii) Gaza; and if he will make a statement. [150949]

Dr. Howells: Our Consul-General in Jerusalem met Ismail Haniya (former Hamas Prime Minister) and Ghazi Hamad (Hamas spokesperson) to discuss the Alan Johnston kidnapping. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have also held meetings with Ghazi Hamad in London to discuss the same consular case. No other issues were discussed.

Iran: Nuclear Power

Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent proposals have been put to Iranian representatives by the EU High Representative on modalities for the opening of negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme. [148962]

David Miliband: The EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, has had a number of meetings in recent months with his Iranian interlocutor, Supreme National Security Council Secretary Dr. Ali Larijani, most recently in Lisbon on 23 June. In those meetings, he has consistently reiterated to the Iranians that the E3+3 (UK, France, Germany, Russia, China and US) are prepared to enter into negotiations with them on the basis of the “elements of a long term agreement”, annexed to UN Security Council Resolution 1747 (March 2007). We regret that Iran continues to refuse to suspend its proliferation-sensitive nuclear activities, as requested by the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors as a confidence-building measure and made mandatory by the UN Security Council, which would open the way for those negotiations to begin.

Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the (a) construction and (b) purpose of a tunnel facility near the Natanz uranium enrichment complex in Iran; and if he will make a statement. [149628]

David Miliband: We are aware of media reports about new tunnel construction at a mountain adjacent to the Natanz facility. The International Atomic Energy Agency are aware of the tunnel and we understand the Iranians have told the Agency that they will provide information on its purpose, although we have not received confirmation from the Agency that they have done so yet.

Iraq: Drugs

Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the level of opium production in Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [149364]


19 July 2007 : Column 524W

David Miliband: While the current security environment makes it difficult to make an accurate or comprehensive assessment, we are not aware of any significant opium production in Iraq. According to the UN Office for Drugs and Crime World Drugs reports for 2006 and 2007, Iraq does not feature as a producer of opium.

Lesotho: Elections

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the outcome of the elections in Lesotho in 2007; and if he will make a statement on the political situation in Lesotho. [149419]

Meg Munn: The ruling Lesotho Congress for Democracy party won by a sizeable majority in an election process that we and independent observers deemed largely free and fair. But legal challenges by opposition parties are still ongoing and we do have concerns about sporadic incidents of violence which followed, directed at both Government and Opposition figures. Both Government and Opposition parties alike, now need to engage in dialogue to bring about a peaceful solution.

Our non-resident high commissioner, who resides in Pretoria, visited most recently on 3 July when he encouraged all sides to enter fully into the Southern African Development Community-backed mediation process headed by former President Masire of Botswana. We continue to monitor the situation closely, through our high commission in Pretoria and in London with the Lesotho high commissioner, who officials met most recently on 27 June.

Moldova: Foreign Relations

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he plans to take to improve bilateral relations with the Republic of Moldova; and if he will make a statement. [150532]

Mr. Jim Murphy: We continue to encourage Moldova to implement the reforms set out in the jointly agreed European Neighbourhood Policy Action Plan, which was launched in February 2005. In this context, the Government strongly support efforts to promote economic and political reforms, aimed at bringing Moldova closer to EU standards. During my right hon. Friend the then Minister for Europe’s (Mr. Hoon) recent trip to Moldova, he made clear that the UK will continue to work closely with Moldova and help to focus their efforts on implementing the action plan and its successor.

The Government have contributed £5.5 million as part of a multi-donor fund towards the Early Transition Countries initiative managed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in support of the bank’s investment and business advisory operations in the seven low-income countries of Central Asia, South Caucasus and Moldova.

The Department for International Development’s overall aid framework for Moldova is £2.7 million for 2006-07. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office funds small grassroots level projects under the Global
19 July 2007 : Column 525W
Opportunities Fund (£124,000 for 2007-08). The EU has provided assistance to Moldova totalling over €253 million (since 1991), including technical assistance under the Technical Aid to the Commonwealth of Independent States programme.

All of these activities are reinforced by the high level meetings referred to in the reply I gave to the hon. Member today (UIN 150533).


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