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Afghanistan
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What progress has been made with the de facto authorities in Afghanistan towards reaching agreement on the use of troops from Muslim countries in helping to maintain law and order. [HL1884]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The Bonn agreement stipulates that an interim authority will be set up in Afghanistan on 22 December. When they have assumed office it will be important for them to discuss their security requirements with willing nations, including Muslim countries.
Human Rights Dialogues
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will urge the Belgian Presidency of the European Union that the guidelines they are drawing up on the question of human rights dialogues with third countries should first be published in draft so that the comments of human rights non-governmental organisations and national parliaments of member states can be sought before the guidelines are finalised. [HL1886]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The EU guidelines on human rights dialogues were agreed at Council on 13 December. The preparation of these guidelines was among the issues discussed at the EU Human Rights Forum in Brussels on 21–22 November, attended by human rights non-governmental organisations and Members of the European Parliament. The implementation of these and other EU guidelines on human rights issues will be the subject of continuing discussion among member states, non-governmental organisations, parliamentarians and other interested parties.
Malawi
Baroness Stern asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they have raised with the Government of Malawi the actions of the Malawi Parliament on 14 November in recommending that Judges Mwaungulu, Chimasula Phiri and Chipeta be removed from office. [HL1957]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We and other international partners have raised this issue with the president and others in the Government of Malawi. We understand President Muluzi has decided Justice Chipeta has no case to answer and has referred the cases of the other two judges to the Judicial Service Commission.
Biological and Toxin Weapons
Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is their evaluation of developments at the fifth review conference in Geneva of the states parties to the 1975 Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention; and what consequent action they will be taking.[HL1974]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Her Majesty's Government regret that it was necessary to suspend the Biological Weapons Review Conference as it was not possible to reach a consensus on the continuation of a multilateral negotiating forum. It was agreed that the conference would reconvene in Geneva from 11 to 22 November next year. The United Kingdom will use the intervening period to consult widely with all states parties in order to determine the best way forward. We remain committed to achieving a binding agreement that will reinforce the international norm against biological weapons.
China: Human Rights Dialogue
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How they are co-ordinating the United Kingdom-China human rights dialogue with other national and European Union-China human rights dialogues; and, in particular, what common policies they have formulated on the treatment of the Falun Gong.[HL2044]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: There is no formal co-ordination between the UK and other countries which have human rights dialogues with China. On two occasions we have met informally with Switzerland, Canada, Australia, Japan, Hungary, Norway and the EU, all of which engage in a regular human rights dialogue with China.
There is no common policy on the treatment of the Falun Gong.
Burma
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will raise with the Government of Myanmar the cases of former members of parliament elected in 1990 and now detained for political reasons, as detailed in reports of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.[HL2046]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: HMG fully support the aims of the IPU in seeking the release of the MPs elect from the 1990 elections in Burma. We will continue to take every opportunity to press for the release of all political prisoners. This takes the form of bilateral action, co-ordinated action with EU partners and also as co-sponsors of UN resolutions.
Kabul: Diplomatic Representation
Lord Acton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether there have been any recent changes to the British diplomatic representation in Kabul.[HL2100]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Following discussions with the incoming interim administration, we expect to renew diplomatic relations with Afghanistan on 22 December and to redesignate the Office of the British Representative in Kabul as an embassy, headed by a charge d'affaires. We last had permanent diplomatic representation in Kabul in 1989. We did not have normal government to government dealings with the Taliban regime.
Data Protection Act Exemptions
Baroness Howells of St Davids asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether any certificates have recently been signed under Section 28 of the Data Protection Act 1998 covering personal data processed by the Secret Intelligence Services and Government Communications Headquarters.[HL2105]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: On 8 December the Foreign Secretary revoked Data Protection Act exemption certificates dated 30 July 2000 and issued new ones. Copies of the new certificates, and a statement outlining the reasoning behind their issue, have been placed in the Library of the House.
Reciprocal Student Support
Baroness Sharp of Guildford asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will list countries with whom reciprocal arrangements with the United Kingdom have been made regarding student support in higher education.[HL1928]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Baroness Ashton of Upholland): The UK has reciprocal arrangements with each of the member states of the European Union under EC Directive 93/96. This requires a host state to guarantee "access to vocational training in a non-discriminatory manner". In practice this means that UK nationals attending undergraduate courses in the EU are entitled to equal treatment as "home" students, as are EU students in the UK. However, this only applies to tuition fee support. There is no requirement on a member state to provide grants or loans for maintenance to nationals from other member states.
Baroness Sharp of Guildford asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will list higher education establishments external to the United Kingdom at which there is financial support for United Kingdom students attending courses there.[HL1929]
Baroness Ashton of Upholland: Students are eligible for tuition fee support and a student loan for undergraduate courses at the British Institute in Paris, France. Students studying on the Erasmus programme are not liable to pay tuition fees but are entitled to a student loan and can receive a grant towards the extra expenses involved in studying abroad. The Erasmus programme is a European funded student mobility scheme, which is part of Socrates, the European Community education programme. The member states of the European Economic Area (EEA) all participate in the Erasmus scheme and students will be at various locations and institutions within EEA. In addition, my department provides maintenance support and/or tuition fee support, depending on the institution, to students attending a number of postgraduate courses at three European institutions: the European University Institute in Florence, Italy, the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium and the Bologna Center in Bologna, Italy.
Baroness Sharp of Guildford asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will list courses at higher education institutions external to the United Kingdom for which students from the United Kingdom can receive financial support.[HL1930]
Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The British Institute in Paris offers a three-year BA (Honours) in French Studies. It has a year abroad programme for undergraduates from other UK universities who need to spend a year, a semester or a term in an academic environment in France as part of their course.
Those undertaking study as part of the Erasmus (European Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students) programme are enrolled on courses covering the entire range of a university's academic programmes.
Students at the European University Institute undertake postgraduate study and research in one of four departments: economics, law, history and civilisation or political and social sciences. Most students undertake a three-year doctorate, but there are some students who undertake a one-year Masters in Law.
College of Europe students follow a one-year course and enrol in one of four departments: economics, human resource development, political sciences or administrative sciences. All follow a compulsory programme of European general and interdisciplinary studies.
Students at the Bologna Center study an interdisciplinary course, including a modern language, international economics, international relations and European studies.
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