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Written Answers to Questions
Monday 22 April 1991
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Birmingham Pub Bombings
36. Dr. Godman : To ask the Attorney-General when he last discussed the Birmingham pub bombings case with the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The Attorney-General : I refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer to the hon. Member for Dumbarton (Mr. McFall).
Lord Chief Justice
34. Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Attorney-General what was the salary of the Lord Chief Justice in (a) 1987 and (b) January 1991 in current prices.
The Attorney-General : The salary of the Lord Chief Justice in January 1987 was £77,400, and in January 1991 £95,750. Had it kept pace with prices, it would now be £102,454.38.
Social Security Appeals
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Attorney-General from what area appeals to the social security commissioners are heard at the Cardiff Docks venue ; and whether he is satisfied that it is suitable for disabled claimants.
The Attorney-General : The social security commissioners hear appeals from the whole of Wales at the Crown Court in Cardiff which is situated at Williams way, Curran embankment on Penarth road, although claimants in north Wales may opt for the hearing of their cases in Liverpool. The Cardiff venue has been used since March 1987 and is considered well suited to the needs of disabled claimants.
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Attorney-General how many appeals were made to the social security commissioners in each year from 1980 to 1990 in England, Scotland and Wales, respectively.
The Attorney-General : This information is available only from 1985. The number of appeals made to the social security commissioners for each year from 1985 to 1990 in England, Scotland and Wales is given in the table.
Social Security Commissioners
Year Number of Appeals Total
|England |Scotland|Wales
------------------------------------------------------
1985 |1,982 |590 |104 |2,676
1986 |<1>1,860|406 |- |2,266
1987 |2,878 |654 |76 |3,608
1988 |4,015 |779 |55 |4,849
1989 |4,435 |716 |38 |5,189
1990 |2,356 |394 |20 |2,770
<1> Including Wales.
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Mr. Usman Khalid
Mr. Madden : To ask the Attorney-General when the appeal of Mr. Usman Khalid (TH 9455/90) against refusal to grant entry clearance to the United Kingdom will be heard in Leeds ; and if he will make a statement.
The Attorney-General : Once Mr. Khalid's representatives in this country have indicated to the immigration appellate
authorities--IAA--that they are ready to proceed to a hearing, the IAA will aim to list the case at Leeds within five months.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
South Atlantic (Oil Exploration)
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Governments of the Falkland Islands and Argentina regarding oil exploration in the South Atlantic.
Mr. Garel-Jones : The Falkland Islands Government have passed a draft of their revised minerals legislation to us. My right hon. Friend has not held discussions with either the Government of the Falkland Islands or that of Argentina regarding oil exploration in the south Atlantic.
International Atomic Energy Agency
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his Department's policy towards informing the International Atomic Energy Agency of any information his Department has regarding possible breaches of the
non-proliferation treaty by other state parties.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We would draw the attention of the IAEA to any such information as appropriate.
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what powers are vested in the International Atomic Energy Agency to prevent the diversion of nuclear materials from civil to military use in the time between its regular inspections.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : If there were reason to believe that materials were being diverted from civil to military uses, the IAEA could request a special inspection.
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what communications took place between Her Majesty's Government and the International Atomic Energy Agency regarding Iraqi efforts to operate a covert nuclear weapons programme prior to 15 January 1991.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We have made known on a number of occasions in various ways our concerns that Iraq appeared to be pursuing a covert nuclear weapons programme in contravention of its obligations under the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions took place at the International Atomic Energy Agency regarding the movement of Iraqi safeguarded materials away from Tuwaila.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Any formal discussion of this matter would have to take place in the IAEA board of governors. There has been no discussion of this kind.
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Iraq (Uranium)
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his Department's assessment as to the quantity of highly-enriched uranium that is still in Iraqi hands.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : This is a matter for verification by the IAEA and the special commission to be established in accordance with Security Council resolution 687.
Turkey (Human Rights)
Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement concerning abuse of human rights in Turkey.
Mr. Garel-Jones : Since the return to civilian rule in 1983, the Turkish Government have taken a number of steps to improve their human rights record. We support those efforts and continue to encourage the Turkish Government to respect and abide by the international human rights conventions to which they are a party.
United Nations
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will initiate a study of the evolution or development of the United Nations organisation to enable it better to attain the objectives of its charter in conditions of east-west rapprochement.
Mr. Garel-Jones : The end of the cold war has enhanced the prospects of having the United Nations function as its founding fathers intended. We are considering ways in which it might do so.
Israel
Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government are making to the Israeli Government to reopen educational institutions in the occupied territories ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The Israelis are well aware of our belief that the continuing closure of educational institutions, and in particular four universities, in the occupied territories is damaging--whether to Israel's reputation, the Palestinian community or the prospects for peace. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs urged the Israeli Foreign Minister to look again at this problem the last time he saw him, in London on 5 March.
Visa Arrangements
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reciprocal arrangements exist for British citizens to have two-year working visas and in which Commonwealth countries ; and whether he has any proposals for renegotiating these arrangements.
Mr. Garel-Jones : There are no reciprocal arrangements between the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries on two-year working visas. There are no plans to negotiate such arrangements.
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Gulf War
Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give the latest figures for the total contributions to Her Majesty's Government, and from which countries, to the cost of the United Kingdom's involvement in the Gulf war.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Cash contributions paid and pledged so far include about £660 million from Kuwait, £565 million from Saudi Arabia, £275 million from Germany, £250 million from the UAE, £183 million from Japan, £15 million from Belgium, £15 million from Hong Kong and £8 million from Denmark. We have also received assistance in kind worth about £250 million from some 16 countries.
United Nations Disaster Relief Organisation
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral answer of 15 April, Official Report, column 35, what refugee movements were anticipated by the United Nations Disaster Relief Organisation, what requests were made to member states, and on what specific dates.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : On 11 January the office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator launched a regional plan of action in anticipation that a large number of people would be displaced by a conflict in the Gulf. This plan was based on 100,000 refugees arriving in each of Jordan, Turkey, Iran and Syria. UNDRO, on behalf of the United Nations humanitarian agencies and the International Organisation for Migration, made an urgent appeal for United States $38 million, 25 per cent. of their anticipated costs. Pledges from the international community quickly totalled some United States $58 million. The United Kingdom donated United States $1 million. On 5 April UNDRO asked donors for the remaining 75 per cent. of its 11 January appeal. On 11 April, as the full scale of the exodus in the north of Iraq became clear, UNDRO launched an updated plan covering assistance to 1.5 million refugees in Turkey and Iran. UNDRO estimated the cost of its programme at United States $400 million, subsuming its original appeal for United States $152 million. UNDRO is appealing to donors for United States $300 million immediately. As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced on 5 April, the United Kingdom will be contributing up to £20 million to the appeals by the United Nations and other humanitarian agencies.
Bombs
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has for new international protocols on the use of fuel air explosive weapons and daisy cutter bombs in warfare.
The Gulf
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the latest estimate of humanitarian assistance given to Kuwaitis and Iraqis.
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Mr. Douglas Hogg : I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development gave the hon. Member for Cynon Valley (Mrs. Clwyd) on 19 April.I understand that since the launch of their appeals, the international donor community has given at least US$86 million to the UNDRO/UNHCR appeals and at least £33 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross appeal. I am not able to provide complete information on the many other humanitarian agencies and NGOs who are providing assistance to the Kuwaitis and Iraqis either financially or at the practical level.
Incendiary Weapons
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to ratify the United Nations weaponry convention ; and what is his policy towards accepting the optional protocol No. III, on the use of incendiary weapons in certain circumstances.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We are still considering ratification of the UN weaponry convention. When we have reached a decision, we shall make clear our policy towards protocol No. III.
Kuwait
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what evidence Her Majesty's ambassador in Kuwait has concerning the allegations about the carrying out of reprisals against Palestinians in Kuwait.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : A number of Palestinians have approached Her Majesty's embassy in Kuwait about relatives who had been detained. The embassy is also in touch with international humanitarian agencies and human rights organisations monitoring the position of vulnerable groups.
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 15 April, Official Report, columns 106-7, to the hon. Member for Linlithgow, what response he has had to his repeated expressions of concern about ill-treatment of Palestinians in Kuwait.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The Crown Prince of Kuwait has assured my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister that Palestinians will be dealt with in accordance with the law.
German Reunification
Mr. Denzil Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much the reunification of Germany has cost the EC budget.
Mr. Garel-Jones : The gross additional cost on the EC budget during 1991 as a result of German unification will be about 1,915 mecu. That will be partly offset by higher German contributions which will total 1,230 mecu, making the net additional cost some 685 mecu.
PRIME MINISTER
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Harry Barnes : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list by Government Department those subject areas that were previously open to answer via parliamentary
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questions, but which since June 1979 have been excluded as a consequence of legislation and changes in administrative arrangements.The Prime Minister : Legislation and changes in administrative arrangements do not generally change the accountability of Ministers to Parliament except where the Government's successful programme of privatisation has removed a particular function from the public sector. In respect of "next steps" agencies, ministerial accountability is unchanged and parliamentary questions relating to executive agencies remain in order, although Ministers may arrange for chief executives to write to Members on matters which have been delegated to an agency in its framework document. I would encourage members to approach chief executives direct in the first instance on such matters, their aim is to provide a response which is as full and as helpful as possible on a timescale similar to that for a ministerial response to a parliamentary question.
HOME DEPARTMENT
St. John Ambulance Brigade
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what facilities he has made available to staff in his Department to contribute to the appeal that has been launched for people with the name of John to help raise £5 million for the St. John Ambulance Brigade.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : No request for assistance with this appeal has, to my knowledge, been received, but arrangements could be made to draw it to the attention of Home Office staff.
Emergency Planning College
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the cost of running the Emergency Planning college in each of the past 10 years.
Mr. John Patten : Expenditure on the Emergency Planning college was not separately identified in the Appropriation Accounts prior to 1984 and details could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. For 1984-85 onwards the information requested is as follows :