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Written Answers
Wednesday, 24th April 2002.
Northern Ireland Courthouses: Guidance and Instructions in Ulster-Scots
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether existing and new courthouses in Northern Ireland have guidance and instructions in Ulster-Scots required in the Belfast agreement of 1998; and if not, why not.[HL3713]
The Lord Chancellor (Lord Irvine of Lairg): The Belfast agreement of 1998 did not place any direct requirement on the Northern Ireland Court Service to provide guidance and instructions in Ulster-Scots at any of its courthouses.
The existing processes concerning local availability of information and advice at court venues are currently under review. These reviews will include consultation with court users with particular reference to the accessibility of information.
Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill: Consultation
Lord Jacobs asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the statement by the Lord Falconer of Thoroton at the Labour Party Conference in September 2001 that the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill was "the result of a bargain between the interested parties", who were the interested parties representing the leaseholders.[HL3739]
The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): The Government's proposals for commonhold and leasehold reform were the subject of extensive consultation with landlords, leaseholders and other interested parties. The consultation paper on leasehold reform issued in late 1998 received over 950 responses, 77 per cent of which came from leaseholders, leaseholders' resident associations or leaseholder representative organisations. The consultation paper on the draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill issued in August 2000 received over 1,050 responses, 76 per cent of which came from leaseholders, leaseholders' resident associations or leaseholder representative organisations. These included responses from the Leasehold Enfranchisement Association (LEA) and the Campaign for the Abolition of Residential Leasehold (CARL).
Ministers and officials from the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR) have also met representatives from the LEA and CARL.
Summarised analyses of both the 1998 and 2000 consultation exercises are available in the Libraries of both Houses and on the DTLR website. Copies of the responses to the consultation papers from individual leaseholders and leaseholders' resident associations—with the exception of those who asked for their responses to be treated as confidential—are available to the public from the DTLR library at Ashdown House by arrangement.
Middle East
Lord Moynihan asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What action they are taking to persuade the Israelis and the Palestinians to resume negotiations to achieve a just and lasting peace.[HL3667]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Amos): The UK has played a full part in international efforts to bring the violence and military action in Israel and the Occupied Territories to an end and help the parties resume negotiations. My right honourable friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary and my honourable friend the Member for Exeter have all been intensely engaged on the crisis in the Middle East. We have been in close touch with the Israelis and the Palestinians, with the United States, with our European partners and the governments in the Arab world. The Foreign Secretary also discussed the Middle East with other European Foreign Ministers at the General Affairs Council on 15 April.
The priority is implementation of UNSCRs 1402 and 1403. We fully support US Secretary of State Powell's mission and call on the parties to work constructively with him for those resolutions, including the establishment of a ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Palestinian cities, and the implementation of the Tenet plan and Mitchell recommendations with the aim of resuming negotiations on a political settlement.
Anglo Romanian Educational Trust: Schools Twinning Programme
Baroness Hooper asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will consider reverting to the former practice of waiving visa charges for the visits of Romanian teachers and students under a schools twinning programme arranged by the Anglo Romanian Educational Trust.[HL3697]
Baroness Amos: We cannot waive visa charges for visits by Romanian teachers and students under a schools twinning programme arranged by the Anglo Romanian Educational Trust.
It has been the policy of successive governments that costs incurred in running a global visa operation should be met from visa fee income alone and should not burden the UK taxpayer. The FCO is also required, under a service delivery agreement with Treasury, to reduce the number of gratis visas issued.
If an exception were made for the Anglo Romanian Educational Trust, it would put pressure on the self-financing visa operation worldwide, and go against our efforts to fulfil this service delivery agreement.
It would also be unfair to waive fees in the case of these teachers and students but not for similar applicants—from Romania and elsewhere, now and in the future. To waive fees for all such applicants would place an excessive financial burden on the visa operation.
Daw May Myint
Lord Faulkner of Worcester asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they have any information about the location, treatment and condition of Daw May Win Myint, an elected Burmese Member of Parliament who was arrested at a political meeting in Yangon in October 1997, and subsequently sentenced to seven years' imprisonment under Section 5j of the Emergency Provisions Act 1950; and whether they are prepared to make representations to the Government of Burma on her behalf.[HL3772]
Baroness Amos: Our latest information is that Daw May Myint remains in Insein prison. Prison conditions for political prisoners in Burma are deeply unsatisfactory, including lack of adequate nutrition and solitary confinement in small spaces.
Over 230 political prisoners have been released from detention in Burma since January 2001. Regrettably, Daw May Myint is one of over 1,500 who remain in prison. We are active in the EU and the UN in pressing for the release of all political prisoners.
Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial Conference, 22 and 23 April
Lord Brennan asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What topics were discussed during the Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial meeting in Valencia on 22 to 23 April. [HL3954]
The Minister for Trade (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean): My right honourable friends the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and the Minister for Europe represented the UK at the fifth Ministerial Conference of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership process in Valencia. The meeting took place against a backdrop of high tension in the region. In these circumstances the presence of representatives of Israel, the Palestinian Authority and most neighbouring states was in itself a significant achievement. Ministers discussed the Middle East peace process, noting their deep concern at the current situation, the serious threat it posed to regional security and the risk of a grave humanitarian crisis. The Foreign Secretary held bilateral discussions with the Foreign Ministers of Israel and Egypt and with Nabil Sha'ath of the Palestinian Authority.
The conference adopted, by consensus, an action plan including a number of initiatives to give renewed impetus to the Euro-Med Process. The Government particularly welcomes the action plan to promote an effective dialogue on culture and civilisation.
My right honourable friends took the opportunity of the Valencia Ministerial to have bilateral meetings. The Foreign Secretary discussed the situation in the Great Lakes region with his French and Belgian counterparts. The Minister for Europe discussed the state of play in the Cyprus negotiations with Foreign Minister Cassoulides.
They also had bilateral meetings with their Spanish conterparts in which they took forward discussions on Gibraltar. The Minister for Europe also discussed Gibraltar with his Spanish counterpart in Madrid on 18 April. Our objectives remain to preserve Gibraltar's way of life, establish greater self-government, deliver lasting practical benefits and a stronger economy, and secure a lasting agreement on sovereignty so that Gibraltarians can enjoy security for their way of life. Negotiations continue. Our aim remains, if possible, to reach agreement by the summer.
Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001
Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many people have been detained under the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001.[HL3989]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Rooker): Eleven people have so far been detained using powers in Part IV of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001. Eight were detained in December 2001, one in February 2002, and two yesterday.
Of the total detained, two have voluntarily left the United Kingdom; the other nine remain in detention.
Nuclear Weapons: Responsibility for movement in UK
Lord Dubs asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What progess has been made on the transfer of responsibility for the movement of nuclear weapons in the United Kingdom within the Defence Logistics Organisation from the Director General Equipment Support (Air) to the Warship Support Agency. [HL3860]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Bach): The transfer of responsibility for the movement of nuclear weapons from the Director General Equipment Support (Air) to the Warship Support Agency was completed on 26 March 2002. The Ministry of Defence's commitment to nuclear safety and security was maintained throughout the transfer process.
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