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Written Answers
Tuesday, 10th February 1998.
Diplomatic Service: Foreign Language Qualifications
The Earl of Carlisle asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many of the 222 British ambassadors and heads of mission, less those accredited to a nation where English is the main spoken language, speak the language of the nation to which they are accredited to the following standards:
(a) beginner;
(b) colloquial;
(c) advanced;
(d) interpreter;
and what organisational and administrative changes they are making at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to ensure that designated ambassadors have longer to master the relevant language before they present their credentials.[HL316]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean): Statistical information is not kept in the format which provides an explicit answer to the first part of this question. The FCO recognises the following levels of competence in a foreign language:
Diplomatic Service Regulation (DSE) 28 requires all officers to learn the principal language of the country to which they are posted.
The Personnel and Security Command of the FCO have recently improved succession planning techniques and career management procedures in order to build in sufficient time for any necessary language training for ambassadors designate. Further, the FCO language training centre, known as the Diplomatic Service Language Centre, has in the last 12 months revised its training programme structures to allow, where necessary, significantly more intensive periods of language training than was previously the case.
Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:
(a) survival
(b) functional
(c) operational
(d) extensive
There are 110 current heads of mission who speak the language of the post to which they are accredited. It has not been possible to break this number down by level.
Whether they or the United States are seeking a Resolution in the United Nations Security Council which would find Iraq "in material breach of the
10 Feb 1998 : Column WA152
- ceasefire" that ended the Gulf War, and would legitimate attacks on Iraqi targets; and whether they are prepared to support United States unilateral action against Iraq in the event of such a Resolution not securing United Nations Security Council approval.[HL329]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We are still pursuing a diplomatic solution to the crisis with Iraq, but cannot rule out military action if Saddam fails to back down.
Iraq's obstruction of UNSCOM is a clear breach of its obligations under SCRs. Iraq has threatened regional peace and security many times over the last 20 years. Its WMD programme is a clear threat to its neighbours in the region.
The main purpose of the action we are promoting in the Security Council is to send a tough and united message to Saddam Hussein. If he fails to heed that, then the legal justification for the use of force would depend on the precise circumstances at that time.
Hamid Awachi and Mohammed Abdul-Jallel
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will make representations to the Government of Bahrain about the exile for the last
16 years of the Bahraini citizens and former trade union leaders Hamid Awachi and Mohammed Abdul-Jallel Al-Morbati, and about the practice of exiling dissidents in general.[HL330]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We regularly raise human rights issues with the Bahraini authorities, including with their Ambassador in London. We will continue to do so. However we have been unable to trace any information relating to Hamid Awachi and Mohammed Abdul-Jallel. If the noble Lord could provide such information, we would be happy to pursue the matter.
Meskhetian Muslims: OSCE Investigation
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will ask the OSCE High Commissioner for National Minorities to report on the situation of the Meskhetian Muslims who were deported from Georgia by Stalin in 1944.[HL332]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Mr. van der Stoel, plans to visit Georgia later this year, although a date has not yet been confirmed. I understand that the subject of the Meskhetian Muslims will be on his agenda.
Weapons in Space: "Global Engagement" War Game
Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether, in the light of the experience of British officers taking part in the United States Air Force's war game "Global Engagement", they consider the existing international instruments are adequate for preventing an arms race in space (Written Answer by Baroness Chalker of Wallasey on 20 March 1997, WA 83); and whether they still have no plans to take further steps to control the use of laser weapons (Written Answer by Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 9 December 1997, WA 17).[HL353]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The war game "Global Engagement 1997" does not affect our arms control policies. Work on prevention of an arms race in space is being discussed at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva. As I told the noble Lord on 12 January, we have no objection to establishing an Ad Hoc Committee there on this issue. The position of Her Majesty's Government on laser weapons remains as in my Answer to the noble Lord on 9 December 1997.
Crown Copyright
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they conducted a cost benefit analysis of the United States model, the New South Wales model, the New Zealand model or the European model when preparing their consultation document Crown Copyright in the Information Age (Cm 3819); and, if so, whether they will publish this analysis.[HL340]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: A cost benefit analysis of copyright regimes overseas was not undertaken in preparing the Green Paper. Informal discussions, which are continuing, have taken place between departments and information industry bodies on how different models could be compared and contrasted. Such an analysis may be undertaken in the light of responses to the Green Paper.
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they accept as applicable to the United Kingdom the premise of the United States approach to copyright protection that "government information is a national resource and that the economic benefits are maximised when it is available to all", as cited in paragraph 1.19 of the consultation document Crown Copyright in the Information Age (Cm 3819).[HL341]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The US Government have responded to the consultation document and will be providing further information about their approach to copyright issues. UK officials will be liaising with the US Government and will reach a conclusion at the end of the consultation process.
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What will be the estimated cost to public revenues of abolishing or waiving Crown and Parliamentary copyright in
(i) legislation;
(ii) court and tribunal decisions;
(iii) reports of Parliamentary debates;
(iv) reports of Parliamentary Select Committees; and
(v) Royal Commissions and statutory inquiries,
and of limiting fees to recouping the cost of disseminating such material.[HL343]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Parliamentary debates and Reports of Parliamentary Select Committees are subject to Parliamentary copyright protection and so are a matter for the two Houses. The costs to public revenues of abolishing or waiving Crown copyright in the other categories of material and the mechanism for recouping those costs are factors which will need to be assessed once responses to the consultative document, Crown Copyright in the Information Age (Cm 3819), have been received and considered.
Notes on Clauses
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether The Stationery Office Limited has been authorised to sell Notes on Clauses to the public.[HL342]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Stationery Office Limited have not been authorised to sell Notes on Clauses to the public. These are currently prepared by departments for the Minister in charge of a Bill. They are sometimes made available to Members before the Committee Stage of a Bill begins but are not generally made available to a wider audience. It is envisaged, however, that the proposed new "Explanatory Notes" will be published with a Bill by The Stationery Office Limited.
"Global Engagement" War Game
Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many officers from the British Armed Forces took part, and in what capacity, in the United States Air Force's recent "Global Engagement" war game.[HL350]
The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Gilbert): Two RAF officers participated as part of a coalition cell in the "Global Engagement" war game conducted by the United States Air Force.
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