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Israel and Iraqi Nuclear Development Project

Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the Foreign Secretary was correctly reported by the Israeli newspaper Ha aretz on 21st November as having "agreed" with the Israeli Defence Minister "that an effort must be made to prevent the expansion of Iraq's nuclear development project", and if so whether this agreement extends to an Israeli attack like that on Iraq's nuclear development project in 1981, which was deemed illegal by Her Majesty's Government.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary did not discuss Iraq's nuclear development project with the Israeli Defence Minister. The United Kingdom supported UN Security Council Resolution 487, which condemned the Israeli attack on the Iraqi nuclear installation at Osiraq.

Mr. Khadar Mubarak

Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether Ministers, including the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for Defence, in their recent

3 Dec 1996 : Column WA43

discussions with the Israeli Defence Minister in London were aware of the treatment to which a detainee of the Israelis, Mr. Khadar Mubarak, was according to Israeli officials being subjected, with the agreement of the Israeli Supreme Court, and which is being examined by the United Nations Committee Against Torture.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: My right honourable and learned friend the Foreign Secretary raised human rights issues when he met the Israeli Defence Minister on 20th November. We are concerned at the Israeli High Court's decision to permit Israeli authorities to go beyond internationally accepted interrogation practices in the case of Khadar Mubarak. We urge Israel to take account of the recommendations of the UN Committee Against Torture.

Diego Garcia: US Action against Iraq

Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they gave their agreement to the United States use of United Kingdom facilities in Diego Garcia for the "disproportionate retribution" with which Secretary of Defence Perry was then threatening Iraq.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: We provided logistical help, and fully supported, the US Government's action against Iraqi military targets in southern Iraq in early September in response to Iraq's attack on Irbil. Secretary Perry's comments to which the noble Lord refers post-dated this action. Use of UK facilities for any further action would have required separate UK agreement.

Great Lakes, Africa: Humanitarian Aid

Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:

What multilateral and bilateral policies and action they are pursuing to meet the overall humanitarian needs of the Great Lakes area of Africa and what steps they are taking to help promote a regional political settlement.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: The UK is in close touch with UN agencies and non-governmental organisations over humanitarian needs in the Great Lakes. We have committed over £21 million to the region in humanitarian assistance in 1996 both bilaterally and through the European Commission. We are pushing both bilaterally and with the international community for access to populations in need in the region. We support the efforts of regional leaders, the Organisation of African Unity and the UN to facilitate a sustainable regional political settlement and are pressing for an early regional summit to take matters forward.

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Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:

What action they are taking to assist the governments of Tanzania and Uganda to deal with the growing number of refugees in their countries.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: The UK has committed nearly £3.5 million bilaterally in 1996, through UN agencies and non-governmental organisations, to address the needs of refugees and of host populations in Tanzania and a further £1.1 million in Uganda. We are ready to do more as additional needs arise. The UK continues to work with the international community to encourage a sustainable political settlement in the Great Lakes region which will allow refugees to return to their homes.

Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is their latest position on the dispatch of a United Nations military support force for humanitarian operations in the Great Lakes area of Africa.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: The United Nations Secretary-General was requested under UN Security Council 1078 to draw up a concept of operations and framework for a humanitarian task force. We look forward to the Secretary-General's report to the Security Council. Whether the deployment of a UN force will be necessary will depend on further developments on the ground in eastern Zaire.

Burundi: Humanitarian Aid

Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is their latest assessment of the political situation in Burundi and the consequent humanitarian challenges and what action they are taking bilaterally and multilaterally to help meet the situation.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: The situation in Burundi remains grave, with prospects for meaningful political negotiations adversely affected by recent fighting in Eastern Zaire and within Burundi. We continue to support the mediation efforts of ex-President Nyerere, and welcome his intention to hold further talks in mid-December. The UK has committed over £3 million in humanitarian assistance to Burundi in 1996 through UN agencies and non-governmental organisations, both bilaterally and through the European Union.

Rwanda, Zaire and Burundi: Crimes against Humanity

Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:

What action they are taking bilaterally and unilaterally to help ensure that those responsible for genocide and crimes against humanity in Rwanda, Zaire and Burundi are brought to justice.

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Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: The Government believes that those responsible for genocide and crimes against humanity should be brought to justice wherever they take place. We support the work of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and have made voluntary contributions of £140,000, in the current financial year, to its work. We support the relevant recommendations of the United Nations International Commission of Inquiry for Burundi. It should be noted, however, that the Commission of Inquiry has stated that until the appropriate political conditions exist in Burundi it will not be possible to implement any of the Commission's recommendations.

Scottish Criminal Justice Agencies: Integrated Communications

Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to Baroness Blatch's answer of 29th January (WA 99), when they expect to be in a position to make a decision on an implementation date for the introduction of an integrated communication network to enable Scottish criminal justice agencies, including prisons, police forces and the courts, to share information of common interest.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Scottish Office (The Earl of Lindsay): Good progress is being made with the development of integrated communications, between Scottish criminal justice organisations. For example, approximately 80 per cent. of the information about incidents and charges is now passed electronically from police forces to procurators fiscal offices. Links will continue to be installed progressively; there will be no single implementation date.

Security Facilities Executive

Lord Taylor of Warwick asked Her Majesty's Government:

What plans they have for the future of the Security Facilities Executive following the privatisation of its custody services business next year.

Baroness Trumpington: The Government intend to set up a new agency from 1st April 1997 comprising the Government Car Service (GCS) and the InterDespatch Service (IDS), which provide secure transport and mail services. The chief executive will be recruited by open competition. These businesses will be financially separate but will operate within one agency.

From 1st April the Special Services Group (SSG), which provides advice and technical security services to government departments and other public sector customers, will then be the sole remaining business of Security Facilities Executive (SAFE). From this date I intend that it will continue as an agency of the Office of Public Service. The precise scope of its work is to be determined in the light of a study of

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its services and the related interests of other government departments.

The staff of SAFE and the customers of the three businesses will be consulted very carefully about the implementation of these changes.

BSE Statistics

Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:

To list the number of cases of BSE that have been confirmed in the United Kingdom during each week during 1996.

Lord Lucas: The number of confirmed BSE cases in the United Kingdom during each week of 1996 is:

Week ending	Number of confirmed cases
5th January 1996	141
12th January 1996	211
19th January 1996	203
26th January 1996	216
2nd February 1996	241
9th February 1996	335
16th February 1996	320
23rd February 1996	272
1st March 1996	239
8th March 1996	187
15th March 1996	191
22nd March 1996	242
29th March 1996	201
5th April 1996	124
12th April 1996	36
19th April 1996	257
26th April 1996	112
3rd May 1996	196
10th May 1996	59
17th May 1996	125
24th May 1996	266
31st May 1996	63
7th June 1996	330
14th June 1996	177
21st June 1996	314
28th June 1996	206
5th July 1996	144
12th July 1996	181
19th July 1996	195
26th July 1996	171
2nd August 1996	185
9th August 1996	96
16th August 1996	134
23rd August 1996	130
30th August 1996	116
6th September 1996	163
13th September 1996	69
20th September 1996	200
27th September 1996	211
4th October 1996	78
11th October 1996	152
18th October 1996	171
25th October 1996	152
1st November 1996	167
8th November 1996	184
15th November 1996	101
22nd November 1996	158

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