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Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993: Independent Monitor's Report

Lord Rea asked Her Majesty's Government:

When they intend to lay before the House the 1996 Report entitled The Independent Monitor (Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993) by Dame Elizabeth Anson.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The report was laid on 31 July 1997. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs welcomes the Report and notes Dame Elizabeth's recommendations, which will receive careful consideration.

British Embassy, Berlin

Lord Graham of Edmonton asked Her Majesty's Government:

When they expect to announce the preferred bidder for the Private Finance Initiative contract for the British Embassy in Berlin.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office have selected Bebcon, a consortium of prominent German contractors and

14 Oct 1997 : Column WA185

financiers, as the preferred bidder for the new British Embassy offices in Berlin.

The Embassy will be built to a design by Michael Wilford and Partners, winners of the 1995 Embassy Design Competition, on the site of the pre-war British Embassy in Wilhelmstrasse. Under the eventual contract, Bebcon will finance, construct and then manage the building for 30 years. Building work will start around the end of this year, and the Embassy staff will move into the new building in autumn 1999.

This is the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's pathfinder Private Finance Initiative overseas estate project. EU competition procedures and British Government Private Finance Initiative (PFI) guidance have been followed throughout.

EU Council Programme

Lord Strabolgi asked Her Majesty's Government:

To detail the forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union for August, and to list major EU events for the next six months.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The information is shown below.

This calendar is primarily concerned with European Union matters, but certain other relevant events are also included. Events and dates quoted are based on the information available on the date of issue.

European Calendar: August 1997-January 1998

Date	Location	Event
August 1997
There are no events scheduled for August. September 1997
4	Brussels	Political Committee
5	Kiev	EU/Ukraine Summit
7-9	Echternach	Agriculture Council (Informal)
12-14	Mondorf	Ecofin Council (Informal)
15-16	Brussels	General Affairs Council
15-19	Strasbourg	European Parliament Plenary
22-25	New York	Political Committee
22-23	Brussels	Agriculture Council
29	Brussels	Political Committee (reserve date-tbc)
October 1997
1-2	Brussels	European Parliament Plenary
2	Luxembourg	Telecommunications Council
3-4	Echternach	Internal Market Council (Informal)
6-7	Luxembourg	General Affairs Council
7	Luxembourg	Social Affairs Council
9	Luxembourg	Transport Council
9-10	Mondorf	Justice & Home Affairs Council (Informal)
10-11	Strasbourg	Council of Europe Summit
13	Luxembourg	Ecofin Council
16	Brussels	Political Committee
16	Luxembourg	Environment Council
16-17	Luxembourg	Possible European Council
20-21	Luxembourg	Political Committee
20-21	Luxembourg	Agriculture Council
20-24	Strasbourg	European Parliament Plenary
24-27	Edinburgh	CHOGM
25-26	Mondorf	Foreign Ministers (Informal)
30	Luxembourg	Fisheries Council
November 1997
3	Brussels	Consumer Council
3	Brussels	Political Committee
5-6	Brussels	European Parliament Plenary
10	Brussels	Research Council
10	Brussels	General Affairs Council
13	Brussels	Industry Council
17	Brussels	Ecofin Council
17	Brussels	Political Committee
17-18	Brussels	Agriculture Council
17-21	Strasbourg	European Parliament Plenary
19	Brussels	Fisheries Council (tbc)
20	Brussels	Education Council
21	Brussels	Budget Council
24	Brussels	Culture Council
24-25	Brussels	General Affairs Council
27	Brussels	Internal Market Council
28	Brussels	Development Council
December 1997
1	Brussels	Ecofin Council
1	Brussels	Telecommunications Council
2	Brussels	Labour & Social Affairs Council
3-4	Brussels	European Parliament Plenary
4	Brussels	Health Council
4-5	Brussels	Justice & Home Affairs Council
8	Brussels	Energy Council
8-9	Brussels	General Affairs Council
10-11	Brussels	Transport Council
12-13	Luxembourg	European Council
15-16	Brussels	Agriculture Council
15-16	Brussels	Environment Council
15-19	Strasbourg	European Parliament Plenary
18-19	Copenhagen	OSCE Ministerial Council
18-19	Brussels	Fisheries Council
January 1998
1		UK Presidency commences
12	Brussels	Fisheries Council (tbc)
19	Brussels	Ecofin Council
19-20	Brussels	Agriculture Council
26-27	Brussels	General Affairs Council
29-30	(tba)	Justice & Home Affairs Council (Informal)

14 Oct 1997 : Column WA186

Men: Relations with Government

Lord Stoddart of Swindon asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Answer given by Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 14 July (WA 91), and to avoid any accusation of sexual discrimination, what measures they intend to introduce to promote a new dialogue between men and the Government in order to build a new bond of trust; and in the light of the dearth of men's organisations, whether they will now consider the establishment of a Men's National Commission to facilitate dialogue between men and the Government.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We want to build a strong bond of trust between Government and the people--both men and women. We are currently looking at various ways of achieving this. One of the ideas being considered is setting up a People's Panel which would include a representative cross-section of the population.

14 Oct 1997 : Column WA187

It is widely acknowledged that women tend to feel more disconnected and alienated from politics and government than men. That is why we are looking at a range of options for opening up a new dialogue between Government and women; through more and better communications with women's organisations; and through reaching out to women across the country.

Women's National Commission: Review

Baroness Denton of Wakefield asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer given by Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 14 July (WA 91-2), who they have commissioned to review the role of the Women's National Commission, and to what criteria.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: This is an internal review which is being led by Joan Ruddock, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Women. We will publish the terms of reference once they are finalised.

Scrapie

Lord Lucas asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether requiring breeding rams to be R R homozygous for resistance to scrapie would eliminate that disease within a decade.

The Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Lord Donoughue): Although genetic approaches may well have an important role in the reduction of the incidence of scrapie the genetic basis of resistance is not as well characterised in some breeds of sheep as in others. The Government are funding more research in this important area. The state of scientific knowledge at present therefore means that I am not able to give a categorical answer to this question.

BSE Surveillance by EU Members

Lord Burton asked Her Majesty's Government:

What other European member states are doing to provide suitabily qualified staff and services for scientific testing of BSE.

Lord Donoughue: It is the responsibility of the EU Commission to ensure that member states meet their Community obligations. The Commission has recently reported on BSE surveillance and other aspects of control in other member states, except Portugal. Its findings include details of the laboratories involved in the diagnosis and testing for BSE and information on staff training. I will be depositing copies of these reports in the Library of the House.

All member states inspected have sent at least one member of staff for training at the Central Veterinary Laboratory at Weybridge.

14 Oct 1997 : Column WA188

BSE: Diagnosis in France

Lord Burton asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have any evidence to suggest that BSE cases in France have been classified as meningitis.

Lord Donoughue: We have no evidence to suggest mis-diagnosis of BSE in France.

BSE: Moving Annual Total of Cases

Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answers by Lord Lucas on 23 January (WA 68-70) and by Lord Donoughue on 29 July (WA 32), what was the moving annual total of BSE cases reported in each 52-week period for each week so far this year.

Lord Donoughue: The following table shows the moving annual total of BSE cases reported during each of the first 30 weeks of this year:

Week 1997	52 week total reported
1	10,475
2	10,309
3	10,145
4	9,930
5	9,715
6	9,521
7	9,329
8	9,195
9	9,037
10	8,883
11	8,730
12	8,524
13	8,266
14	8,156
15	8,094
16	7,975
17	7,855
18	7,740
19	7,653
20	7,534
21	7,412
22	7,305
23	7,250
24	7,167
25	7,084
26	7,044
27	6,972
28	6,885
29	6,818
30	6,732

Note:

Week 1 is the week ending on the first Friday of the year.

14 Oct 1997 : Column WA189

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