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5 Mar 1998 : Column WA171

Written Answers

Thursday, 5th March 1998.

Lord Acton asked Her Majesty's Government:

    What was the value of direct bilateral aid which they gave to the Iraqi people through non-governmental organisations in 1995, 1996 and 1997.[HL832]

Lord Whitty: The details are given in the following table:

Net official development assistance to the Iraqi people through non-governmental channels 1995, 1996 and 1997.

Year£000
19952,584
19962,300
19973,452

The figure for 1997 is an estimate. A final figure will be available in August 1998.


Professor John Hobcraft and Dr. Neil Price

Lord Braine of Wheatley asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether the authors of the report to the then Overseas Development Administration on the role of the International Planned Parenthood Federation in China and the work of the Chinese Family Planning Association were independent of the Overseas Development Administration.[HL796]

Lord Whitty: Yes. John Hobcraft, Professor of Population Studies at the London School of Economics, and Dr. Neil Price, Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Development Studies, University of Wales, were engaged as experts from outside the Government in order to provide independent advice to the Overseas Development Administration.

Lord Braine of Wheatley asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether the authors of the report to the then Overseas Development Administration on the role of the International Planned Parenthood Federation in China and the work of the Chinese Family Planning Association were formerly staff members of the Overseas Development Administration, and, if so, when they resigned; and whether they had previously had any other professional links with it.[HL797]

Lord Whitty: Professor John Hobcraft has provided independent advice to the Government on population matters since 1974, but was never an employee of the Overseas Development Administration (ODA). Dr Neil Price was employed by ODA between 1987 and 1989 and has subsequently undertaken consultancy assignments.

5 Mar 1998 : Column WA172

EU Council: Forthcoming Business

Lord Hardy of Wath asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether they will list the forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union for March; and list the major European Union events for the next six months.[HL874]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean): The following Councils are scheduled:

Monthly forecast of business for March 1998

DateLocationEvent
March 9BrusselsECOFIN Council
March 16-17BrusselsAgriculture Council
March 17BrusselsTransport Council
March 19BrusselsJustice and Home Affairs Council
March 23BrusselsEnvironment Council
March 24BrusselsFisheries Council
March 30BrusselsInternal Market Council
March 30-31BrusselsGeneral Affairs Council
March 31BrusselsAgriculture Council

The following subjects are likely to be discussed: March 9: Ecofin Council


    1996 budget discharge and statement of assurance: Council recommendation.


    Preparation of Stage 3 of EMU (ECB legislation under Article 106(6)).


    Tax policy package: follow up--preparation for establishment of group for assessment of harmful measures--Commission presentation of proposals on interest and royalties (possible item).


    Employment package (EIB). March 16-17: Agriculture Council (provisional agenda)


    EU/US veterinary and phytosanitary equivalence agreement.


    Proposal for a directive on laying hens: Commission presentation (possible item).


    Commission communication on food, veterinary and plant health control and inspection: Commission report (possible item).


    Report on Agri-environment Regulation (possible item).


    Report on OECD meeting in Paris.


    Report of the meeting of the Quint group of countries in Paris:


    EU, US, Canada, Japan and Australia March 17: Transport Council


    Recommendation for a Council Decision authorising the Commission to start negotiations with a view to establishing a European organisation responsible for civil aviation safety: Policy debate.


    Recommendation for a Council Decision authorising the Commission to start negotiations with a view to establishing Community membership of the

5 Mar 1998 : Column WA173

    European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (EUROCONTROL): Policy debate.


    Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2299/89 on a code of conduct for computerised reservation systems (CRSs): Common position, co-operation procedure Art. 189c.


    Recommendation for a Council Decision authorising the Commission to start negotiations with the United States in the field of air transport: Progress report.


    Proposal for a Council Regulation on statistical returns in respect of carriage of goods by road: Adoption.


    Proposal for a Council Directive on transportable pressure equipment: Common position, co-operation procedure Art. 189c.


    Proposal for a Council Regulation on the recognition in intra-Community traffic of the distinguishing sign of the Member State in which motor vehicles and their trailers are registered:


    Common position, co-operation procedure Art. 189c.


    Proposal for a Council Directive on the charging of heavy goods vehicles for the use of certain infrastructures: Common position.


    March 19: Justice and Home Affairs Council


    Eurodac Convention: Conclusion and signature.


    Action against illegal immigration including Iraq (possible item).


    Joint action establishing the Odysseus programme.


    Implementation of the Dublin Convention (possible item).


    Regulation establishing the Common Visa List.


    Schengen acquis.


    Schengen: Negotiations with Norway and Iceland.


    Elements of the Organised Crime Action Plan: Joint action on criminal offence to participate in a criminal organisation--joint action on the European judicial network--mechanism for collection of data and analysis standards--Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance: Progress report--review of progress of Action Plan.


    Convention on Driving Disqualification.


    Europol: Confidentiality regulations--rules of joint supervisory body--headquarters agreement: Progress report--other preparations for implementation.


    Report on 1997 Customs Joint Surveillance Operations.


    Review of progress on external relations, (possibly) including Pre-Accession Pact. March 23: Environment Council


    Proposal for a Council Decision amending Decision 93/389/EEC for a monitoring mechanism of Community carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions: Common position, co-operation procedure Art. 189c.

5 Mar 1998 : Column WA174


    Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) amending Regulation EEC No. 1210/90 of 07.05.1990 on the establishment of the European Environment Agency and the European Environment Information and Observation Networks: Common position, co-operation procedure Art. 189c.


    Proposal for a Council Directive on the landfill of waste: Common position, co-operation procedure Art. 189c.


    Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council relating to measures to be taken against air pollution by air emissions from motor vehicles and amending Council Directives 70/156/EEC and 70/220/EEC (light commercial vehicles): Common position, co-decision Art. 189b.


    Proposal for a Council Directive to the limitation of the emissions of organic compounds due to the use of organic solvents in certain processes and industrial installations (VOCs); Common position, co-operation procedure Art. 189c.


    Proposal for a Council Directive relating to limit values for sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter and lead in ambient air: Orientation debate, co-operation procedure Art. 189c.


    Proposal for a Council Directive relating to a reduction of the sulphur content of certain liquid fuels and amending directive 93/12/EEC: Orientation debate, co-operation procedure Art. 189c.


    Amended proposal for a Council Directive establishing a framework for a Community action in the field of water policy: Orientation debate, co-operation procedure Art. 189c.


    Proposal for a Council recommendation relating to the keeping of wild animals in zoos; Orientation debate, (possible) common position, co-operation procedure Art. 189c.


    Community strategy on climate change: Council Conclusions.


    Fourth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity: Council Conclusions.


    Preparation of the 6th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development: Council Conclusions.


    March 24: Fisheries Council


    Post-Amsterdam enforcement proposal: Policy debate.


    Proposal for the banning of drift-nets: Adoption.


    Proposal to amend autonomous tariff quotas for 1998: Adoption.


    Proposal to continue industrial fishing in the Baltic:


    Adoption (possible item).


    Commission reports concerning the regional meetings of the fisheries industry: Debate and Council Conclusions.

5 Mar 1998 : Column WA175

    March 30: Internal Market Council


    Action plan for the Single Market--transposition of internal market legislation--mutual recognition: Progress reports by the Commission, debate.


    Simplification of legislation--Business Test Panel--review of progress on SLIM: Reports by the Commission.


    Seminar on "Better Regulation": Information by the Presidency: Debate.


    Instrastat: Common position.


    Amendment of regulation on external trade statistics: Adoption. Reform of the Community Transit System: Common position (possible item).


    Budget for the Customs 2000 project: Common position (possible item).


    Legal Protection of Conditional Access Services: Common position.


    Directive on legal protection of utility models: Presentation by the Commission.


    Directive on copyright and related rights in the information society: Presentation by the Commission.


    Follow-up Green Paper on Community Patent: Presentation by the Commission.


    Proposal for a regulation on free movement of goods: Progress report.


    Communication on Public Procurement: Presentation by the Commission, debate.


    Commercial communications: Presentation by the Commission, debate and Council Conclusions.


    European Company Statute: Orientation debate.


    Directive on cocoa and chocolate products: Common position (possible item).


    Vertical directives on foodstuffs: (possible) Adoption. March 30-31: General Affairs Council


    Enlargement.


    Euratom/Russia agreements in the field of nuclear fusion and nuclear safety (possible A point).


    Schengen.


    Mediterranean Policy.


    Switzerland.


    ASEM II (final preparations).


    EU/Russia Summit: Report.


    China.


    Western Balkans.


    Great Lakes.


    Middle East Peace Process.


    World Trade Organisation: Preparation of Second Ministerial meeting in Geneva 18-20 May.


    Multilateral Agreement on Investments.


    Internal Jute Agreement (possible A point). March 31: Agriculture Council


    Agenda 2000.

5 Mar 1998 : Column WA176

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: March-August 1998

DateLocationEvent
March 1998
3BrusselsPolitical Committee
4LondonHome Secretary meets EU Ambassadors
4LondonConference on Foreign Affairs
9BrusselsEcofin Council
9-10ManchesterUK Presidency Better Regulation Conference
9-13StrasbourgEuropean Parliamentary Plenary
12-13BrusselsCommittee of the Regions Plenary
12-13LondonJoint Social & Education (Informal)
14-15EdinburghForeign Ministers' Informal
15-17MacclesfieldSeminar for Cultural and Audiovisual Ministers
16-17BrusselsAgriculture Council
17BrusselsTransport Council
18-19LondonInstitutional Affairs Committee
19BrusselsPolitical Committee
19BrusselsJustice & Home Affairs Council
19CardiffWDA SME Conference
20-22YorkEcofin Informal
23BrusselsEnvironment Council
24BrusselsFisheries Council
26-28HumbersideFisheries Committee
30BrusselsInternal Market Council
30-31BrusselsGeneral Affairs Council
30-31StrasbourgEuropean Parliament Plenary
31BrusselsAgriculture Council
31-1 AprilMoscowG8 Energy Ministerial
April 1998
1-3StrasbourgEuropean Parliament Plenary
2-4LondonASEM II
3-5Leeds CastleG8 Environment Ministerial
6-7LondonDTI Enterprising Europe Conference
6-8BirminghamAudiovisual Conference
6-8BirminghamCulture Committee
7LuxembourgSocial Affairs Council
7BrusselsPolitical Committee
16BrusselsPolitical Committee
20-21LuxembourgAgriculture Council
21LuxembourgEcofin Council
23LuxembourgConsumer Affairs Council
24-26ChesterEnvironment & Transport (Informal)
27-28LuxembourgGeneral Affairs Council
29-30BrusselsEuropean Parliament
30LuxembourgHealth Council
May 1998
1-3BrusselsEcofin & Special EMU Council
5BrusselsPolitical Committee (t.b.c.)
5-6BelfastEU Ministers Women's Forum (Informal)
7BrusselsIndustry Council
10-12NewcastleAgriculture (Informal)
11BrusselsEnergy Council (t.b.c.)
11BrusselsEuro-Med Energy Ministerial
11-15StrasbourgEuropean Parliament Plenary
12BrusselsPolitical Committee
14LondonEU/Canada
14-15LondonInnovative Partnerships for Competitiveness Conference
14-16LondonConference on Culture and Employment
15-17BirminghamG8 Summit
18LondonEU/US Summit
18BrusselsDevelopment Council
18BrusselsInternal Market
18-20Northern IrelandRegional Affairs Committee
19BrusselsTelecoms Council
19BrusselsEcofin Council
25-26BrusselsGeneral Affairs Council
25-26BrusselsAgriculture Council
27-28BrusselsEuropean Parliament Plenary
28BrusselsCulture and Audiovisual Council
28-29BrusselsJustice & Home Affairs Council
June 1998
2LuxembourgPolitical Committee
4LuxembourgEducation & Social Affairs Council
5LuxembourgEcofin Council
8LuxembourgFisheries Council
8-9LuxembourgGeneral Affairs Council (t.b.c.)
8-9GlasgowRegional Policy/Spatial Planning
15-16CardiffEuropean Council
15-19StrasbourgEuropean Parliament Plenary
16-17LuxembourgEnvironment Council
17LuxembourgJoint Environment & Transport Council
18LuxembourgTransport Council
19GlasgowEnergy & Environment Conference
22LuxembourgResearch Council
22-23LuxembourgAgriculture Council
29-30LuxembourgGeneral Affairs Council (t.b.c.)
July 1998
1-2BrusselsEuropean Parliament Plenary
6BrusselsEcofin Council
6-7LuxembourgPolitical Committee
8-10InnsbruckEmployment/Social Affairs/Women (Informal)
13LuxembourgPolitical Committee
13-14LuxembourgGeneral Affairs Council
17-19LuxembourgEnvironment Council (Informal)
20-21LuxembourgAgriculture Council
23LuxembourgPolitical Committee
27LuxembourgBudget Council

August 1998

There are no Councils scheduled for this month.


5 Mar 1998 : Column WA177

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