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Lord Moynihan asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is the current budget of the common agricultural policy; and what they predict the budget of the CAP will be at the time of accession of (a) Hungary and (b) Poland to the European Union.[HL154]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: At the Berlin European Council in March last year, the EU agreed a financial perspective for 2000-06. This contained annual ceilings on agricultural expenditure for the current 15 member states. From 2002 onwards, and for the first time ever, the ceilings on CAP spending in the existing member states decline in real terms.
At the time of accession, the agricultural budget will have to increase to reflect the cost of the new member states. The additional cost will depend upon a number of factors, including the terms of accession, but will be limited by the ceilings on enlargement-related spending agreed at Berlin.
Lord Moynihan asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the statement by Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 12 December (H.L. Deb., col. 347), whether it is their policy that further common agricultural policy reform is not necessary for enlargement to take place. [HL155]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Government are fully committed to EU enlargement and to CAP reform. We are pursuing both objectives in parallel. Further CAP reform is clearly desirable, both for its own sake and to ease enlargement negotiations with candidate countries. The accession process needs to take account of the fact that the CAP is constantly evolving, but it is not necessary to complete the CAP reform process before enlargement takes place.
Iraq: Export of Demining Equipment
Lord Grenfell asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether any goods subject to strategic export controls have recently been approved for export to Iraq. [HL62]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Following consultation with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence, the Department of Trade and Industry recently approved a licence to export 12 electronic exploders, controlled under the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994, as amended, to the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) for use in demining activities in Iraq under the UN Oil for Food Programme. The export of these goods to Iraq has been approved by the UN Sanctions Committee.
Wilton Park Executive Agency
Lord Clinton-Davis asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What are the conclusions of the current Quinquennial Review of Wilton Park Executive Agency. [HL251]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The first stage of the review of Wilton Park has recommended that Wilton Park should retain its status as an Executive Agency of the FCO. Ministers have accepted this recommendation. The review has been conducted by Sir Robin Fearn KCMG. The first stage of his report is available on the FCO's and Wilton Park's websites. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Palestinian Schools: Damage and Closure
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What information they have received from diplomatic and other sources about the number of Palestinian schools (a) damaged by Israeli military firing, (b) requisitioned or closed by curfew orders from Israeli Occupation Authorities. [HL2]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: I will write to the noble Lord shortly and place a copy of the letter in the Libraries of the House.
European Union: Community Incentive Measures
Lord Shore of Stepney asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What are the XCommunity incentive measures" referred to in the new draft paragraph 2 of Article 13 of the Treaty Establishing the European Community. [HL77]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The new second paragraph of Article 13 makes clear that Community incentive measures must support action in the member states and cannot lead to any harmonisation of the regulations or laws of the member states. In practice, any such incentive measures are likely to mean pilot projects and programmes on, for example, the exchange of best practice or information between the member states.
Iraq: Forcible Expulsions
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they received information from Human Rights Watch, or other sources, about expulsions of Kurds and Turcomans from the Kirkuk region by the Government of Iraq, and about the increased population at refugee camps at Kani Shaiton and Chamchamal, in the Kurdish Autonomous Zone; and in what ways they consider that the situation can be improved.[HL113]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Her Majesty's Government have received information from a variety of sources about the Iraqi Government's repressive practice of deporting Kurds, Turcomen and Assyrians from the regions of Kirkuk and Khanaqin. This practice continues to create heavy refugee flows in the
region. Together with our EU partners, we continue to condemn the appalling violations of human rights in Iraq through EU-sponsored resolutions at the UN General Assembly and Commission on Human Rights. The most recent resolution, adopted at the General Assembly earlier this month, called on Iraq to cease immediately its practice of forcible expulsions.Belfast Agreement
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they consider that undertakings by the Government of the Irish Republic in the Belfast agreement of 1998 concerning human rights and equality are being honoured. [HL130]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Irish Government is fully committed to the Belfast agreement and all of the principles contained within it.
Pakistan: Election Undertakings
The Earl of Sandwich asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 16 November (WA 41), what assurances Pakistan gave to the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group in New York on 15 September; and what further measures or sanctions are now proposed.[HL186]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: At the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group on 15 September, Pakistan's Foreign Minister gave imprecise and ambiguous assurances about Pakistan's timetable for provincial and national elections.
Should Pakistan fail to announce a date for elections before CMAG's meeting in September 2001, we would expect that the group will be forced to consider further possible measures against Pakistan, including a recommendation to the Brisbane Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in October 2001, that Pakistan be suspended from the Commonwealth.
Cameroon: Local Elections
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will consult other members of the Commonwealth about the one year postponement of the local elections in Cameroon and the lack of consultation with the political parties on the National Elections Observatory Law, with a view to referring these matters to the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group; and whether they will also draw these matters to the attention of M Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Secretary-General of La Francophonie.[HL161]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We welcome the law on the National Elections Observatory as a step towards
greater transparency in Cameroon. We have strongly urged the Government of Cameroon to ensure the independence of the National Elections Observatory and to consult fully with other political parties over its creation. We are making clear our view that the government of Cameroon should stick to the election timetable as closely as possible. We regularly discuss Cameroon with our partners.General Pinochet: Judge Garzon's Diary
Lord Lamont of Lerwick asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they intend to make representations to the Spanish Government about the publication in Chile of the diary of Judge Garzon relating to the extradition of Senator Pinochet.[HL174]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We are not aware of any diaries of Judge Garzon having been published.
Overseas Territories: Adult Homosexual Acts
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether measures have been taken or are being contemplated in each of the Overseas Territories to abolish criminal liability for adult homosexual acts done in private.[HL183]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Consensual homosexual acts between adults in private remains a criminal offence in Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Monserrat and the Turks and Caicos Islands. No measures to de-criminalise these acts have been taken or are being contemplated in those Territories. However, an Order in Council to do so was made by Her Majesty at the Privy Council meeting on the 13 December 2000 and will come into force on 1 January 2001.
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- In which Overseas Territories adult homosexual acts remain illegal.[HL185]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: None after 1 January 2001. I refer the noble Lord to the Answer I gave today to his earlier question (HL183).
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