20 May 1999 : Column: 401
Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 20 May 1999
PRIME MINISTER
Kosovo
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will take steps to establish a Committee of Privy Counsellors to inquire into the circumstances of British involvement in the conflict in Serbia. [83832]
The Prime Minister [holding answer 11 May 1999]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I have given to the right hon. Member for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Hague) today, column 401.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Prime Minister if he will appoint a Committee of Privy Councillors to review the way in which the responsibilities of the Government in relation to British policy towards Kosovo were discharged in the period leading up to the start of the NATO action on 24 March, taking account of all such factors in previous years as are relevant, and to report; and if he will make a statement. [84887]
The Prime Minister: I see no need.
Cancer Treatment
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Prime Minister if he will set up a Cabinet Committee on the provision of cancer treatment in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [84235]
The Prime Minister: The Government is firmly committed to improving the provision of cancer treatment in the UK and has made it one of its highest priorities. All people, wherever they live, should have access to high quality cancer services. This was the aim of the Calman/Hine report "A Policy Framework for commissioning Cancer Services". However, when the Calman/Hine principles were adopted in 1995, no machinery to monitor progress was established. We are now rectifying that omission.
We have established a National Cancer Forum with a remit of acting as the focus for maintaining the strategic oversight of the Calman/Hine cancer services implementation programme, and to advise Ministers on specialised issues related to cancer.
Other UK countries are represented on the National Cancer Forum and have similar strategies and initiatives to improve cancer services, and Ministers take a keen interest in progress.
In recognition of the importance of cancer to the Government's agenda, we are also holding a high level cancer seminar today at 10 Downing Street. Those attending will cover the spectrum from prevention, screening, treatment, research, voluntary organisations, patient perspective and NHS implementation. The purpose of the seminar is to review where the UK's
20 May 1999 : Column: 402
performance stands in comparison to other countries, to consider the action we have already taken and are taking, to improve performance and identify further action to be taken in pursuit of our objectives. Our intention is to look across the complete pathway of the disease, from research to hospice care and from prevention to the application of the latest treatments.
I do not believe a Cabinet Committee would improve the Government's ability to address this important issue.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Prime Minister if it is his policy to assist in the development of a single economy and a single political unity within the European Union. [84212]
The Prime Minister:
No. As I said in my speech in Aachen last week, this Government has made huge strides in improving Britain's relations with Europe. We will engage with Europe to push forward on the economic reform agenda, making ourselves more competitive, developing a European defence capability and a co-ordinated approach to foreign policy issues. I believe we need to integrate when necessary and decentralise where possible.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Hereford (Mr. Keetch) of 7 May 1999, Official Report, columns 476-77, on the Bilderberg Group, what official (i) transport and (ii) funds have been used to facilitate attendance at Bilderberg meetings of members of his Government; which members have attended meetings; what reports they have made on the meetings; and what subsequent communication they have had with others attending on subjects discussed at the meetings. [84213]
The Prime Minister:
As far as I am aware, only one member of this Government--the Defence Secretary--has attended a meeting of the Bilderberg Group. He provided a detailed account of his attendance in answers to the hon. Members for Ludlow (Mr. Gill) on 23 July 1998, Official Report, column 609, and for Hereford (Mr. Keetch) on 20 July 1998, Official Report, column 434.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Prime Minister what methods are used to identify and recruit MI6 personnel; and if he will make a statement. [84630]
The Prime Minister:
The Secret Intelligence Service recruits a wide range of staff, including specialists, graduates and school leavers. Before an offer of appointment is confirmed, candidates are vetted to the highest level of security clearance, known as Developed Vetting. The Service adopts, as far as is practicable, the civil service code of practice on recruitment, to ensure that the procedures used are as open and as fair as possible. Recruitment policies are kept under constant review and a number of improvements have been made over the past three years to ensure that they remain effective and that a wide range of candidates is able to apply.
20 May 1999 : Column: 403
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Prime Minister how many civilians have been killed as a result of the use of (a) British and (b) NATO weapons in operation Allied Force against Yugoslavia. [84644]
The Prime Minister:
As I said in the House last week, we do everything we can to avoid civilian casualties and minimise damage to civilian property. The cases of injury and death among civilians which have nevertheless occurred by accident have been acknowledged by NATO and are deeply regretted; they are a regrettable consequence of having to use force to stop the violence which Milosevic has unleashed against the people of Kosovo. They stand in contrast to the deliberate murders and brutalities of the Milosevic regime. Verification of civilian casualties is not possible as access to sites is controlled by the Milosevic regime. Alleged evidence of fatalities claimed to arise from allied action should therefore always be treated with great caution.
Mr. Hayes:
To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer of 12 May 1999, Official Report, column 315, if he will make a statement on the progress of his review into the way in which war widows pensions relate to housing benefit. [84665]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 18 May 1999]: The mandatory disregards for War Disablement and War Widows' Pensions that already exist in Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit recognise the special nature of these pensions, and ensure that the pensioners receive preferential treatment. For example, a war pensioner can have between £10 and £181 a week of his pension disregarded on a statutory basis.
We will keep this under review, but further extending existing disregards is not a main priority: A full disregard of War Disablement and War Widows' Pension in Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit would cost in the region of an additional £70 million a year.
Mr. Hayes:
To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer of 12 May 1999, Official Report, column 318, what was the basis for his statement relating to rural representation in the House. [84666]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 18 May 1999]: The Boundary Commission defines as county constituencies those that are "primarily rural". 170 county constituencies are held by Labour, compared with 135 by the Conservatives and 32 by the Liberal Democrats.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley:
To ask the Prime Minister on what basis Cabinet meetings are held in his absence. [84768]
The Prime Minister:
I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave her in the House on Wednesday 19 May 1999, Official Report, column 1060.
20 May 1999 : Column: 404
Mr. Evans:
To ask the Prime Minister when he plans to announce his decision on the separation of the functions of the Secretary of State for Wales and the First Secretary. [84796]
The Prime Minister:
The functions of the Secretary of State for Wales which will be transferred to the National Assembly for Wales on 1 July are listed in the National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Functions) Order 1999. The functions of the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales include those which are conferred by the Government of Wales Act 1998 and related legislation, but are otherwise a matter for the Assembly.
Mr. Gardiner:
To ask the Prime Minister when he intends to publish the Government's response to the Intelligence and Security Committee's report on Sierra Leone. [85205]
The Prime Minister:
The Government has carefully considered the findings in the Intelligence and Security Committee's Report on the intelligence aspects of the counter-coup in Sierra Leone. The Government's response to the report is being published today.
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