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Written Answers

Wednesday, 10th July 2002.

Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia

Lord Steele of Aikwood asked Her Majesty's Government:

    What aid they are currently giving to Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia to overcome the current famine in the region.[4853]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Amos): My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for International Development has committed £45 million for food distribution in the six countries in southern Africa covered by the World Food Programme regional appeal, including Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia. This is additional to £5 million committed earlier in the year for food distribution in Malawi and £1.15 million for inputs for winter maize cultivation also in Malawi.

Palestinian Authority: EU Funds

Lord Howell of Guildford asked Her Majesty's Government:

    What steps have been taken to ensure that no European Union funds for the Palestinians go towards the publication of documents which glorify suicide bombings.[HL4876]

Baroness Amos: We have no reason to believe that European Union funds are being misused to publish documents that incite or glorify violence in the Palestinian territories or for anything other than their original purpose. The EC attaches strict conditionality to the budgetary assistance it provides to the Palestinian Authority (PA). The conditions mainly reinforce the need for transparency of the PA's public finances, strengthening the prudent management of the budget and encouraging progress on overall financial and administrative reform. We are satisfied that the EC, with the assistance of the IMF, is ensuring these conditions are met.

Tanzania

Lord Acton asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether they will make an announcement relating to the Secretary of State for International Development's recent visit to Tanzania. [HL5078]

Baroness Amos: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for International Development visited Dodoma in 2–3 July for discussions with President Mkapa and Government Ministers about the UK's development partnership with Tanzania. She was warmly received and had some open and

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constructive discussions with the Government of Tanzania about their impressive progress on social and economic reform, as well as about the Government's response to the International Civil Aviation Organisation's (ICAO) report on the air traffic control system. Given that the contract with BAE Systems is legally binding, President Mkapa is inviting ICAO and BAE Systems to visit Tanzania to help advise his Government on the best and most effective way of using the system. President Mkapa also made clear that there would be no second phase of the project. The President and Finance Minister outlined measures the Government has put in place to ensure proper scrutiny and transparency of contracts to avoid any similar problems in the future. Improved systems and legislation, which DfID has helped to support, are now in place for public expenditure management and procurement.

In view of these assurances and the measures taken by the Government of Tanzania, and given the impressive achievements Tanzania has made in economic growth and social reform, my right honourable friend ageed to establish a six-year partnership based on mutual commitments to drive forward Tanzania's poverty reduction and economic reform efforts. The memorandum of understanding will provide a commitment to at least £45 millon per annum of support to the Tanzanian budget, the first year of which will be disbursed between 1 July 2002 and 30 June 2003. In the current financial year we expect to spend a total of £80 million through our bilateral development programme.

Chagos Archipelago

Lord Gregson asked Her Majesty's Government:

    When the latest phase of the feasibility study into resettling the outer islands of the Chagos Archipelago will be completed.[HL5161]

Baroness Amos: We have now received phase 2B of the consultants' report on whether it would be feasible for the Chagossians to return and live on the outer islands of the British Indian Ocean Territory (the Chagos Archipelago). Copies of the report will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. We are also sending copies to the Government of Mauritius and the Chagossian's lawyers in the United Kingdom.

While the report concludes that short-term habitation for limited numbers on a subsistence basis is possible, it also emphasises that any long-term resettlement would be precarious and costly.

Commission for Racial Equality

Baroness Thomas of Walliswood asked Her Majesty's Government:

    What proportion of the annual expenditure of the Commission for Racial Equality was spent on law enforcment over the five years for which records are available.[HL5020]

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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Filkin): The proportion of annual expenditure that the Commission for Racial Equality spent on law enforcement over the last five years for which audited accounts are available was:


    1996–97: 8 per cent


    1997–98: 8 per cent


    1998–99: 8 per cent


    1999–00: 9 per cent


    2000–01: 10 per cent

Legal Services Ombudsman

Lord Peston asked Her Majesty's Government:

    When the Legal Services Ombudsman intends to publish her annual report for 2001–02.[HL5209]

The Lord Chancellor (Lord Irvine of Lairg): The Legal Services Ombudsman has today published her 11th annual report, and copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Ministry of Defence Expenditure Plans

Lord Jones asked Her Majesty's Government:

    When they plan to publish the 2002–03 to 2003–04 expenditure plans for the Ministry of Defence.[HL5157]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Bach): The Government's expenditure plans 2002–03 to 2003–04 for the Ministry of Defence are published today. The document provides details of the Government's plans for defence expenditure for the two years 2002–03 to 2003–04. It complements the MoD's performance report 2000–01 (Cm 5290, November 2001) submitted to Parliament last year.

The document is part of a series of departmental reports which, along with the main estimates and the document Public Expenditure: Statistical Analyses 2002–03, present the Government's expenditure plans for 2002–04.

National Declaration of Ireland

Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:

    With reference to the Declaration of the European Council responding to the National Declaration of Ireland, made at Seville on 21-22 June, whether they consider that "the people of Ireland" referred to by the Government of the Republic of Ireland includes those who live in Northern Ireland.[HL5010]

The Minister for Trade (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean): No. The Declaration of the European Council responding to the National Declaration of Ireland, made at Seville on 21 and 22 June 2002, refers

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to those people of Ireland who will be eligible to vote in a referendum to decide whether Ireland should ratify the Treaty of Nice. Electoral eligibility in Ireland is a matter for the Government of Ireland. I understand that every citizen of Ireland ordinarily resident in that state who is at least 18 years of age and whose name is entered in the register of electors is entitled to vote at a referendum.

Cyprus

Lord Kilclooney asked Her Majesty's Government:

    (a) how many guests from Northern Cyprus to the Queen's Birthday Party at the High Commission in Nicosia were refused entry to the High Commission by the Gerek Cypriot authorities;

    (b) how many of those refused entry were British citizens;

    (c) what reason was given by the Greek Cypriots;

    (d) what representations were made by the High Commissioner to the Greek Cypriot authorities; and

    (e) whether they consider that such decisions are conducive to a possible future agreement in the island of Cyprus. [HL5041]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Two hundred and fifty-four Turkish Cypriots and 98 British people living in the north of Cyprus were invited to attend this year's Queen's Birthday party. Three British citizens, who were alleged to have broken Republic of Cyrpus law, were denied permission to cross by the Government of Cyprus. For the fifth year running all of the Turkish Cypriots invited to the party were denied permission to cross by the Turkish Cypriot authorities.

The British High Commission in Cyprus regularly makes representations to both sides in Cyprus to encourage flexibility during this important stage in the settlement talks. We also believe that contacts between the two communities will contribute greatly towards the current efforts for a settlement in Cyprus and regularly make representations to that effect. We regret that on this occasion Cypriots were again prevented from meeting each other.

Regional and Minority Languages

Lord Morgan asked Her Majesty's Government:

    When they will submit the first report on implementation of the Council of Europe Charter for regional or minority languages, which the UK ratified last year.[HL5160]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Her Majesty's Government are pleased to announce that the report was submitted to the Council of Europe on 1 July. The report details the measures taken by the Government and the devolved administrations to fulfil the UK's obligations under the Charter for Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, Irish, Scots and Ulster-Scots. Copies of the report have been placed in the Library of the House.

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