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Assassinations

Lord Jenkins of Putney asked Her Majesty's Government:

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: It is inconceivable in ordinary peacetime circumstances that authority would be granted to conduct assassinations.

3 Dec 1998 : Column WA55

Burma

Lord Jenkins of Putney asked Her Majesty's Government:

    What are the legal difficulties which have prevented them from imposing financial sanctions on the regime in Burma.[HL15]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Financial sanctions need to be compatible with the UK's international obligations. They are a matter for action by the European Community as a whole in accordance with the Treaty of Rome (Articles 73 (g) (1) and 228 (a)). They must also be compatible with membership of the World Trade Organisation. A mandatory United Nations Security Council Resolution would override these obligations, but there is at present no consensus for such action.

Iraq: Saddam Hussein and UNSCOM

Lord Rowallan asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether they consider that Saddam Hussein's repeated withdrawals of co-operation with the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) are designed to split the Alliance and the United Nations, or to gain time when UNSCOM officials come near to discovering a major cache of chemicals or weaponry, or a combination of the two.[HL22]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Saddam Hussein is determined to force the international community to lift sanctions on Iraq without Iraq having first complied with United Nations Security Council Resolution 687 by giving up its weapons of mass destruction. The most plausible explanation for his latest act of defiance is alarm over recent UNSCOM discoveries, such as the fact that Iraq had lied about weaponising the deadly nerve agent VX.

We consider Saddam Hussein's actions to be clearly premeditated and designed both to test the resolve of the international community and to frustrate the work of UNSCOM and the IAEA. His 14 November climb-down is the most recent evidence of his failure to do either.

Lord Rowallan asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether the presence of UNSCOM in Iraq would make it impossible to attack Iraq without warning.[HL24]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The Prime Minister has said that, if Iraq reneges on its agreement to co-operate with UNSCOM and the IAEA, it will receive no further warnings in advance of military action. Her Majesty's Government would of course carefully consider the impact of any action on UN personnel and others working in Iraq.

3 Dec 1998 : Column WA56

EU Common Foreign and Security Policy Working Groups

Lord Pearson of Rannoch asked Her Majesty's Government:

    How many working groups have been set up in Brussels to discuss matters of common interest to European Union member states under the Common Foreign and Security Policy; whether they will list the subjects under discussion by each group; and by whom each group was set up and to whom it reports. [HL25]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: There are 28 working groups which discuss Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) matters.

The subjects covered by the groups are:


    Administrative Affairs


    Africa


    Armaments Policy


    Asia


    Central Europe


    Communications


    Consular Matters


    Conventional Arms Exports


    Drugs


    Eastern Europe and Central Asia


    Euro-Med (Mashreq/Maghreb)


    Global Disarmament


    Human Rights


    Latin America


    Law of the Sea


    Mashreq/Maghreb


    Middle East/Gulf


    Middle East Peace Process


    Nuclear Non-Proliferation


    OSCE


    Policy Planning


    Protocol


    Public International Law


    Security


    South-East Europe


    Terrorism


    United Nations


    Western Balkans Region.

CFSP working groups are set up by the Presidency of the Council of the Union. They report to the Council of the Union.

3 Dec 1998 : Column WA57

Iraq: Kuwaiti Prisoners of War

Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether the release of the Kuwaitis who have been imprisoned in Iraq since the Gulf war will have to be agreed before there is any relaxation of the economic sanctions against Iraq.[HL59]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Sanctions will be lifted once the UN Security Council is satisfied that Iraq has complied with its obligations under the relevant resolutions. The Council has agreed outline terms for a comprehensive review of Iraq's compliance to date, to start once Iraq has resumed full co-operation with UNSCOM and the IAEA. This review would be in two phases. The first would assess Iraqi compliance with its disarmament obligations and would also include the arrangements for onward monitoring and verification. The second phase would deal with Iraq's compliance with all its other obligations under the relevant Security Council resolutions, including those relating to Kuwaiti prisoners of war and missing Kuwaiti property.

Human Rights Obligations: Compliance by Ministers and Civil Servants

Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether they consider the public to be entitled to expect that Ministers and civil servants will comply with the obligations imposed by the European Convention on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, having regard to the United Kingdom's ratifications of those instruments, the guidance Questions of Procedure for Ministers and the Civil Service Code.[HL68]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Yes.

Israeli Prime Minister's Visit: Talks

Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether they will discuss with the Prime Minister of Israel during his forthcoming visit to London:


    (a) administrative actions resulting in the exclusion of long-standing Palestinian residents from greater Jerusalem;


    (b) new encampments by Israelis within the boundaries of the Occupied Territories in the West Bank since the Wye Plantation Agreement.[HL73]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The position of Her Majesty's Government on the status of Jerusalem and on Israeli settlements in the Occupied Territories and East Jerusalem is well known. At the press conference following the Foreign Secretary's meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu on 26 November, the Foreign Secretary stressed the need to focus on the areas of agreement reached at Wye, and emphasised that any

3 Dec 1998 : Column WA58

actions by either side that undermined Wye would not make it easier to take the peace process forward.

Food Standards Agency

Lord Kirkhill asked Her Majesty's Government:

    What progress has been made towards a food standards agency.[HL66]

The Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Lord Donoughue): The Government are fully committed to the establishment of the food standards agency as set out in the White Paper published in January 1998. It is a matter of regret that, because of the Government's heavy legislative programme in other areas, it has not been possible to secure a space in the forthcoming parliamentary session. My right honourable friends the Secretaries of State for Health, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales and the Minister are determined nevertheless to move action forward where we can, in the meantime, in ways which do not require legislation.

Since the general election, this Government have made a number of improvements to the way in which food safety and standards issues are handled. Officials from MAFF and DH are now working together in a Joint Food Standards and Safety Group, which reports directly to both the Secretary of State for Health and my right honourable friend the Minister. The group also liaises closely with the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland Offices. The safety of the consumer lies at the heart of our decision making.

I am holding discussions with my right honourable friends as to how we can, in practical terms, enhance these current joint working arrangements and lay further foundations for the agency. As soon as we have completed these discussions, I will make a further announcement to the House. A draft Bill will be published in due course.

England: General Schools Budgets

Lord Pilkington of Oxenford asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether they will publish a list showing for each Local Education Authority (LEA) in England, for 1998-99 its General Schools Budget, its Potential Schools Budget, the difference between these two amounts expressed as a figure and as a percentage of the General Schools Budget withheld by each LEA which is outside its Potential Schools Budget, and the amount under each heading.[HL103]

The Minister of State, Department for Education and Employment (Baroness Blackstone): The following table shows, for each local education authority in England--and for England as a whole--for 1998-99, its General Schools Budget (GSB), Potential Schools Budget (PSB), and the difference between the two expressed both as a figure and as a percentage of the General Schools Budget.

General Schools Budget and Potential Schools Budget 1998-99

GSB (i) PSB (ii)GSB less PSB (iii)(iii) as % of(i)
(£000s)(£000s)(£000s)%
City of London1,01474127326.9
Camden79,24957,69221,55727.2
Greenwich113,52091,03722,48319.8
Hackney86,01866,87319,14422.3
Hammersmith and Fulham52,04841,30710,74220.6
Islington85,89564,00121,89325.5
Kensington and Chelsea34,44528,1316,31418.3
Lambeth64,66054,23210,42816.1
Lewisham109,33089,92519,40417.7
Southwark98,64374,10024,54324.9
Tower Hamlets128,48497,59430,89024.0
Wandsworth67,39851,59915,79923.4
Westminster63,11548,89114,22422.5
Barking/Dagenham83,49566,15717,33820.8
Barnet104,00981,65422,35521.5
Bexley90,46069,71520,74522.9
Brent63,96552,32911,63618.2
Bromley58,76346,49012,27320.9
Croydon102,60981,94520,66420.1
Ealing98,11776,49221,62522.0
Enfield114,41492,11922,29519.5
Haringey109,06182,17326,88824.7
Harrow77,27665,78711,48914.9
Havering85,74472,12413,62015.9
Hillingdon52,86545,6687,19713.6
Hounslow91,91479,07412,84014.0
Kingston40,31332,7647,54918.7
Merton57,34051,1566,18410.8
Newham145,382102,20143,18129.7
Redbridge105,17085,65919,51118.6
Richmond51,46145,5855,87611.4
Sutton52,64942,29110,35819.7
Waltham Forest97,26775,79121,47522.1
Birmingham455,194372,60482,59018.1
Coventry136,530112,55123,97917.6
Dudley107,07786,96420,11318.8
Sandwell123,667105,24418,42314.9
Solihull85,79971,59614,20316.6
Walsall95,71180,99914,71215.4
Wolverhampton98,74378,90019,84320.1
Knowsley73,53860,77812,76017.4
Liverpool206,341163,63442,70720.7
St. Helens75,24263,27511,96715.9
Sefton114,630101,08813,54211.8
Wirral133,067107,77525,29219.0
Bolton105,11388,32416,78916.0
Bury66,05254,49711,55517.5
Manchester187,592150,88136,71119.6
Oldham106,60687,63918,96717.8
Rochdale76,00062,17513,82518.2
Salford88,46474,97613,48815.2
Stockport105,46384,63620,82719.7
Tameside81,92667,74314,18317.3
Trafford70,44553,19917,24624.5
Wigan128,279105,94322,33617.4
Barnsley86,27165,25421,01724.4
Doncaster127,157108,07819,07915.0
Rotherham105,83291,35814,47413.7
Sheffield199,424143,48055,94428.1
Bradford210,536155,56154,97526.1
Calderdale56,72044,80511,91521.0
Kirklees154,734124,25730,47719.7
Leeds315,271236,07379,19825.1
Wakefield137,759101,99935,76026.0
Gateshead82,46164,51417,94721.8
Newcastle102,47787,29715,18014.8
North Tyneside79,35762,39316,96421.4
South Tyneside61,77851,8129,96616.1
Sunderland121,183100,36720,81617.2
Isles of Scilly1,15992423520.3
Bath & NE Somerset60,77952,1898,59014.1
Bristol134,855114,65820,19715.0
North Somerset69,30658,42210,88415.7
South Gloucestershire97,94781,18716,76017.1
Hartlepool37,59131,9215,67015.1
Middlesbrough61,06751,2059,86216.1
Redcar & Cleveland61,84852,7509,09814.7
Stockton on Tees78,16167,29210,86913.9
Hull103,12587,26015,86515.4
East Riding121,492100,44321,04917.3
North East Lincolnshire69,80258,75511,04715.8
North Lincolnshire63,61852,29511,32317.8
North Yorkshire215,816184,43331,38314.5
York59,28750,9848,30314.0
Bedfordshire135,407111,15624,25117.9
Luton70,35353,34917,00424.2
Buckinghamshire165,367124,59440,77324.7
Milton Keynes73,29754,41418,88325.8
Derbyshire235,267185,38249,88521.2
Derby City72,18956,12716,06222.2
Dorset119,81297,82521,98818.4
Poole32,41226,4405,97218.4
Bournemouth37,29830,7806,51817.5
Durham200,913162,64838,26519.0
Darlington36,42930,2306,19917.0
East Sussex165,854138,05227,80216.8
Brighton and Hove76,96766,06810,89914.2
Hampshire380,745328,07752,66813.8
Portsmouth61,28252,4568,82614.4
Southampton76,88364,99111,89215.5
Leicestershire218,593187,23231,36114.3
Leicester City135,485103,02232,36324.0
Rutland5,3534,50684715.8
Staffordshire303,087245,27757,81019.1
Stoke-on-Trent87,42473,50313,92115.9
Wiltshire107,38183,28824,09322.4
Swindon53,78344,7459,03816.8
Bracknell Forest37,28431,8825,40214.5
Windsor & Maidenhead44,98138,0646,91615.4
West Berkshire44,95539,5615,39412.0
Reading32,14226,2185,92418.4
Slough30,90725,4705,43717.6
Wokingham52,32447,6844,6408.9
Cambridgeshire162,577121,84540,73225.1
Peterborough56,55643,04513,51123.9
Cheshire264,125217,52046,60517.6
Halton54,11744,6559,46217.5
Warrington73,73765,9997,73810.5
Devon223,219177,99045,22920.3
Plymouth97,33583,10314,23214.6
Torbay40,31935,2445,07512.6
Essex295,015238,32656,68919.2
Southend-on-Sea32,54428,6453,89912.0
Thurrock37,55031,5266,02416.0
Herefordshire55,22147,3247,89714.3
Worcestershire175,267148,89426,37315.0
Kent352,445299,86152,58314.9
Medway Towns78,47670,8327,6449.7
Lancashire432,648355,48977,15917.8
Blackburn with Darwen61,70350,25311,45118.6
Blackpool50,27939,80210,47720.8
Nottinghamshire283,955239,81744,13815.5
Nottingham City101,76682,48219,28418.9
Shropshire95,88975,48920,40021.3
Telford and Wrekin49,13641,2347,90216.1
Cornwall180,050144,98635,06419.5
Cumbria152,637120,83131,80620.8
Gloucestershire123,978101,34922,62918.3
Hertfordshire351,665290,50961,15617.4
Isle of Wight48,15341,6416,51213.5
Lincolnshire156,185136,07920,10612.9
Norfolk247,890196,38951,50120.8
Northamptonshire214,300171,69642,60419.9
Northumberland121,299100,57720,72217.1
Oxfordshire203,625165,02538,60019.0
Somerset167,292140,12927,16316.2
Suffolk242,266207,77134,49514.2
Surrey280,458227,69552,76318.8
Warwickshire167,185138,35228,83317.2
West Sussex260,755223,25137,50414.4
England17,550,17514,309,3833,240,79218.5

3 Dec 1998 : Column WA63



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