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Written Answers
Thursday, 31st October 1996.
UN Centre for Human Rights: Funding
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will give details of expenditure over the last two years, and of the budget for this year, on the UN Centre for Human Rights, and within the total, the amounts spent and budgeted for the work of each of the thematic and country rapporteurs and the Working Groups; whether they have noted that the Special Rapporteur for human rights in Burma, Professor Yozo Yokota, resigned partly because of frustration at the lack of logistical support for human rights staff in Geneva; and what proposals they have made, or will make, to improve the resources allocated to this work.
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey): In 1994 and 1995 annual expenditure was increased to US$25,949,000. The estimate for 1996 and 1997 is US$28,644,550.
The Special Rapporteurs were collectively allocated US$1,864,700 in 1994, US$2,305,100 in 1995 and US$2,316,200 for 1996. Figures for individual rapporteurs' costs are not available. The Commission's working groups are funded from the UN Regular Budget. No specific amount is allocated each year.
We were indeed aware of the reasons for Professor Yokota's resignation.
We contributed voluntarily £50,000 last year, and £115,000 this year towards the cost of a restructuring programme for the Centre for Human Rights.
ODA Programmes and Sustainable Development
Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What policies they are adopting both bilaterally and multilaterally to promote ecologically sustainable development in developing countries.
Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: All ODA projects and programmes are appraised for their impacts on environmentally sustainable development, including ecological aspects. Guidance on this is contained in the Manual of Environmental Appraisal, a copy of which is in the House of Lords Library.
Overseas Aid Tying Policy Review
Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What specific action they are taking in the light of their recent review of United Kingdom overseas aid tying policy.
Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: ODA, with DTI and HM Treasury, undertook a review of UK aid tying policy in 1995 to assess the impact of current practice on the bilateral aid programme and on the UK economy. Copies of the summary report, which was published by ODA on 30th August, have been put in the Libraries of both Houses.
The findings of the report show that there would be very marginal benefits to the UK economy from unilateral untying and somewhat larger benefits from multilateral untying, but that the costs of tying are relatively low. This is because UK goods and services are for the most part internationally competitive and because a significant part even of the bilateral aid programme is effectively untied.
The report made a number of recommendations about ODA's procurement procedures; about how we might approach the negotiations for the next pledging round for the Special Programme for Africa, which begins in December; and about the way we report tied aid to the OECD. ODA is taking action in all these areas. The United Kingdom is also actively supporting renewed efforts in the OECD to encourage greater multilateral untying of development assistance programmes.
Indonesia: NAO Report on Aid Contributions
Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What are the reasons for postponement of the publication of the report by the National Audit Office on the United Kingdom's overseas aid contributions to Indonesia, whether this report will deal with any commercial or military dimensions to these contributions, and when the report is now expected to be published.
Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: The report by the National Audit Office on the United Kingdom's overseas aid contributions to Indonesia has been received in draft by Her Majesty's Government and is currently being discussed with the National Audit Office.
The contents of the report and timing of its publication are matters for the Comptroller and Auditor General.
World Food Summit
Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What they consider should emerge from the United Nations World Food Summit as agreed international priorities.
Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: The Government believe that the World Food Summit should establish an international consensus on the future action needed to reduce hunger and malnutrition in the world. It should concentrate on the need for:
- poverty reduction in developing countries;
- sustainable long term expansion of global food production;
- stable political and economic conditions based on democracy and good governance;
- the implementation of commitments made in previous UN conferences such as those dealing with nutrition, environment and development, population and development, social development and women;
- better co-ordinated international responses to food insecurity problems.
China: World Bank Population Advice
Lord Braine of Wheatley asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What guidance the World Bank has given to China about reducing the size of its population since 1979; and whether they will place in the Library of the House copies of any such guidance.
Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: We are not aware of any guidance given by the World Bank to China about reducing the size of its population.
Mr. Vanunu: Solitary Confinement
Lord Jenkins of Putney asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will again make representations on humanitarian grounds to the Government of Israel on behalf of Mr. Vanunu, who has suffered more than a decade of solitary confinement.
Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: Although we have no formal standing to raise this case with the Israelis, we have raised the length of Mr. Vanunu's detention in solitary confinement informally on humanitarian grounds. We have recently asked our Embassy in Tel Aviv to raise this issue again with the Israeli authorities.
IPPF Annual Report
Lord Braine of Wheatley asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will place in the Library of the House the supplement to the International Planned Parenthood Federation's annual report for 1995-96 as soon as it is published.
Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: The annual report supplement for 1995-96 is currently being produced by IPPF and a copy will be placed in the Library of the House as soon as it is received.
Indigenous People: UN Declaration
The Earl of Sandwich asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they intend to defend the rights of indigenous peoples, as laid down in the draft declaration currently under discussion at the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva.
Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: We attach importance to the early adoption by the United Nations of an effective declaration to help protect the rights of indigenous people worldwide. We participate in the UN's Working Group tasked with producing a declaration and contribute constructively to the drafting of a suitable text.
Crown Copyright Material: Republication
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will allow the private sector to publish, electronically or in written form, material covered by Crown copyright which is no longer in print.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Earl Howe): The Government have no objection to private sector publishers reproducing in any media out-of-print material covered by Crown copyright. However, if the material in question is out of date, the publisher would be required to make this clear.
Admiral Sir Peter Abbott: Speech
Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether the speech of Admiral Sir Peter Abbott, Commander-in-Chief Fleet, to the Royal United Services Institution on 17th October 1996 had been cleared with Ministers and whether it now represents government policy; and
What meaning is to be attached to the following phrases in Admiral Sir Peter Abbott's speech: "pre-emptive deterrence", "retribution", "potential target nations", and "above all [continuing] to encourage and support the USA's efforts to police the world".
Earl Howe: Ministerial clearance is not required for addresses given to private bodies such as the Royal United Services Institute, whose purpose is to encourage debate of relevant issues. The speech did not represent government policy; rather, Admiral Abbott was developing a personal view, contributing to just such an academic debate. The issues raised in it are already in the public domain.
As the speech reflected a personal view only, it is not appropriate for Ministers to comment on the meaning which might be attached to particular phrases in the text.
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