| Previous Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |
Forestry Commission Research Agency: Framework Document
Viscount Massereene and Ferrard asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When the framework document for the Forestry Commission, Research Agency will be published.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Scottish Office (The Earl of Lindsay): The framework document for the Forestry Commission Research
Agency has been published today and a copy has been placed in the House Library. The new agency will come into existence on 1st April 1997.Space Use: Management and Planning
Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What are the present arrangements for space use management and planning, given reports in Aviation Week passim that more than 1,000 satellites are to be put in low earth orbit between now and the year 2001 and the presence in orbit of vehicles and debris, which are a hazard to other users of space.
The Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Fraser of Carmyllie): The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) is currently responsible for space use management, through the co-ordination of satellite orbits and guidelines on the reorbiting of satellites at the end of their life. The ITU is supported in its role by the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee which provides technical advice on space debris. The United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN COPUOS) is carrying out a multi-year work plan to investigate future access to space in light of the current low earth orbit satellite constellations and the growth of space debris. The UK encourages and supports these efforts.
NATO Command Structure
Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is their policy towards the proposal that a European officer should, without any change in the US command of the US Sixth Fleet or of that US commander's Middle Eastern duties, eventually occupy the NATO command post for southern Europe.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Earl Howe): We will judge all proposals for the future NATO command structure in the light of basic aims that it should be militarily and cost effective, reinforce the transatlantic partnership between European and North American member states, and incorporate arrangements for a European security and defence identity within NATO.
MoD Housing: Sale Proceeds
Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether receipts from the sale of Ministry of Defence housing are being counted as "negative departmental spending", rather than as capital privatisation receipts, and if so why.
Earl Howe: Some £641 million of the receipts due in 1996-97 from the sale of the married quarters estate in England and Wales will be surrendered to the Consolidated Fund as Extra Receipts (CFERs). The balance, some £304 million, will be treated as negative expenditure and will be appropriated onto defence Votes, as will the full £700 million of receipts due in 1997-98. The proceeds from the sale are not being
counted as receipts from privatisation, as they arise from the sale of fixed assets rather than company securities.Iraq
Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they have discussed with the US conditions for the resumption of relations with Iraq, and whether these include the acceptance in principle of the presence of US or UK military experts within the Iraqi army.
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey): No.
Cayman Islands and British Virgin Islands: Right of Individual Petition
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answers by Baroness Chalker of Wallasey on 3rd February 1997 (WA 127), what were the reasons given by the Government of the British Virgin Islands for its decision not to renew the right of individual petition under the European Convention on Human Rights.
Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: When the renewal of the right of individual petition under the European Convention of Human Rights was last considered, in early 1996, British Virgin Island Ministers decided that the United Kingdom's declaration under Articles 25 and 46 should not be extended to the British Virgin Islands, at that stage, as they wished to consider the issues involved in the context of the proposed Bill of Rights.
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answers by Baroness Chalker of Wallasey on 3rd February 1997 (WA 127), whether they agree with the reasons given by the Government of the British Virgin Islands for deciding not to renew the right of individual petition under the European Convention on Human Rights.
Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: We have noted the position of the British Virgin Islands Government in this matter. But, as I said in my written answer on 3rd February (WA 127) we will discuss the issue further with the British Virgin Islands Government in the context of our continuing consultations with them on good governance.
EC Human Rights Commission Report: Greece v. UK
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answers by Baroness Chalker of Wallasey on 16th May 1996 (WA 63), 11th June 1996 (WA 163) and 30th January 1997 (WA 106), whether they will consent to the publication by the Council of Europe of the report of
- the European Commission of Human Rights of 26th September 1958 in Application No. 176/56 Greece v. United Kingdom; and if not, why not.
Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: We will consider consenting to publication of the report once we have received our copy from the Council of Europe archive. The other interested parties also have to give their consent before publication.
World Bank: Yacyreta Project
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What instructions have been given to the United Kingdom representatives on the board of the World Bank on how they are to speak and vote at the meeting on 6th February at which the board will have before it a complaint from Subrevivencia on behalf of Paraguayan citizens who allegedly suffered material harm as a result of the World Bank's failure to observe its own guidelines in the preparation and execution of the Yacyreta Project, and whether they will place in the Library a copy of the inspection panel's report and recommendation that there should be a full investigation into the claim.
Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: The UK executive director on the World Bank board considers individual project proposals submitted to the board on their merits, taking account of the policies, procedures and operational guidelines of the bank; and of the objectives and views of ODA. Under the rules of the board, the positions of individual chairs on any vote are confidential.
At an informal meeting on 6th February, the World Bank board discussed the request for the independent inspection panel to conduct an investigation into the alleged failure of the bank to follow its operational policies and procedures in the case of the Yacyreta Hydroelectric Project. This will be discussed further at a formal meeting to be held shortly at which a decision on next steps will be taken. The report and recommendations of the inspection panel will be made publicly available within two weeks of a formal decision by the board.
Liberia: UN Arms Embargo Enforcement
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they are satisfied that no arms were exported to Liberia from the crown dependencies during the period of three years and five months when the UN embargo was in force in the United Kingdom but not in the dependencies; and UN embargoes were applied in the crown dependencies and dependent territories at the same time as in the United Kingdom
- in the cases of Iraq, Libya, and Angola, but not in the cases of Somalia, Liberia or Rwanda.
Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: As the report by the Inter-Departmental Committee on Trafficking in Arms makes clear, once the United Nations Security Council adopts an arms embargo, the export of arms from the UK to the embargoed destination is prohibited with immediate effect using the Export of Goods (Control) Order made under Section 1 of the Import, Export and Customs Powers (Defence) Act 1939. The Isle of Man is treated as part of the United Kingdom for the purposes of the Act. As for the Channel Islands, the authorities there refer any application for a licence to export controlled goods to the DTI for advice. Licences are only granted where DTI has no objections. No licences have been granted for the export of controlled goods to Liberia from the crown dependencies since 19th November 1992 when UNSCR 788 was adopted.
As for trafficking of arms to Liberia, we are unaware of any evidence of such activity from the crown dependencies. The report by the inter-departmental committee highlighted the lack of consistency in implementing arms embargoes in the UK, its dependent territories and the crown dependencies. The Government have accepted all the committee's recommendations, which should ensure that all future embargoes are applied in a timely and accurate fashion. Work is in hand to rectify the results of past shortcomings in procedures.
Public Record Office Prior Options Review
The Viscount of Oxfuird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What progress has been made with the quinquennial agency review of the Public Record Office since the announcement of its evaluation of performance report on 23rd July 1996.
The Lord Chancellor (Lord Mackay of Clashfern): The second stage of the agency review, the prior options review, will begin on 12th February and will be completed by 30th September 1997.
I have appointed a steering group to oversee the prior options review, comprising officials from my department, the Public Record Office and the Office of Public Service, and representatives from my advisory council on public records and from the business community. The review will be led by the Public Record Office in liaison with my department.
It will follow Cabinet Office guidelines and will include an update of the evaluation of the Public Record Office's performance as an executive agency.
Comments and contributions from those with an interest in the Public Record Office and its work would be welcome and should be sent by 5th April 1997 to Elizabeth Honer, Secretary to the Public Record Office Agency Review Steering Group, Public Record Office, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU.
| Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |