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2 Feb 2004 : Column 676W—continued
Energy Efficiency Programmes
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) green and (b) energy efficiency programmes are pursued by his Department in (i) the UK and (ii) missions abroad. [149199]
Mr. Rammell [holding answer 22 January 2004]: The FCO has established Environmental Management Systems (EMS) across most of its UK estate. The system covering our London Offices has been certified to ISO 14001 and covers 75 per cent. of UK based staff. We will extend this to 95 per cent. in 2004 by including our Hanslope Park site.
The EMS aims to improve the FCO's environmental performance. Examples of improvements already made include:
- 100 per cent. of electricity used in the Main Building is from renewable sources.
- The range of waste recycled now includes fluorescent tubes, paper, unsaleable furniture, and toner cartridges. A new waste contract in 2004 will extend the range of waste recycled in line with Government targets.
- We have implemented revised government policy on the purchase of sustainable timber. We also purchase a range of energy-efficient equipment and office supplies. All major contracts are evaluated against environmental performance.
- All new FCO buildings, in the UK and overseas are designed to comply with best practice, including sustainable development issues.
In the UK, we have met the interim Government energy target of reducing carbon emissions from buildings through closer temperature control, and the purchase of renewable energy for the Main Building. This also helped us meet the target for the purchase of energy exempt from the climate change levy.
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Overseas Posts are required to apply the same environmental principles where possible. Some have undertaken local environmental initiatives. But it would be impracticable to apply the full UK programme with immediate effect to all 232 Posts in the overseas estate.
European Commission (Defence Research)
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is the Government's policy to support defence research and development expenditure by the European Commission. [149639]
Mr. MacShane: The UK supports a European Security and Defence Policy, where the responsibility for decisions relating to defence, including research and development, rests primarily with Member States (Articles 13 and 17 of the Treaty on European Union). The Government recognises the need to consider the scope for co-operation with the Community's civil research programmes. The Community's programmes, under Article 163 of the Treaty establishing the European Community (TEC), cover "promoting all the research activities deemed necessary by virtue of other chapters of this Treaty [the TEC]". In this context, in November 2003, the General Affairs and External Relations Council agreed to create an Agency, under the authority of the Council, whose responsibilities would include "promoting, in liaison with the Community's research activities where appropriate, research aimed at fulfilling future defence and security capabilities requirements".
Immigration
Mr. Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people entered the UK from (a) Papua New Guinea, (b) Jordan and (c) East Timor in the latest year for which figures are available. [151150]
Beverley Hughes: I have been asked to reply. The latest available information shows that a total of 22,200 Jordanian nationals were admitted to the United Kingdom during 2002.
I regret that is not possible to identify nationals of Papua New Guinea and East Timor separately in our admission statistics.
Data on passengers given leave to enter the United Kingdom are published in the Command Paper 'Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom 2002' (Cm6053), obtainable from the Library, The Stationery Office and via the Home Office website http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/hobpubs1.html
Iraq
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many personnel are serving with the Iraq Survey Group in Iraq; of those how many are British; and if he will make a statement. [151668]
Mr. Straw: There are, at present, 1,272 personnel serving with the Iraq Survey Group. Of these, 52 are British. These figures may change on an almost daily basis due to the regular roulement of staff. Over the past
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nine months there has been an average of approximately 1,400 personnel. Figures for British personnel vary according to the availability of suitably qualified staff.
Latvia
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Latvian Government concerning prospects for a referendum on the proposed European Constitution in Latvia; and if he will make a statement. [151708]
Mr. MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not discussed with the Latvian government prospects for a referendum on the draft EU Constitutional Treaty. Our Embassy in Riga follows Latvian Government policy on this and other issues. The Latvian Government has said that it has no plans for a referendum.
Middle East
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with EU colleagues about (a) trade policy towards Israel and (b) aid policy towards the Palestinian territories; and if he will make a statement. [151676]
Mr. Straw: EU Foreign Ministers regularly discuss Israel and the Palestinian territories at the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) in the context of our discussions on the Middle East Peace Process.
EU Foreign Ministers discussed the EU position for the EU/Israel Association Council at the GAERC on 17 November 2003. The Association Council discusses political and economic issues, including trade. EU Ministers in December agreed to further liberalisation of agricultural trade between the EU and Israel and on 1 January 2004 this round of liberalisation came into force.
I discussed with EU colleagues aid policy towards the Palestinian territories at the GAERC on 29 September 2003. As stated in the Council conclusions, "the EU, as the largest donor to the Palestinian territories, supported the Quartet's call on the International and Regional Community to assist the Palestinian Authority in the implementation of reforms, institution-building and socio-economic development".
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many times since 1997 UK officials have raised human rights concerns and the plight of the Palestinians with Israeli officials; and if he will make a statement. [151677]
Mr. Straw: We have frequently lobbied the Government of Israel since 1997 about human rights concerns and the plight of the Palestinians. But many of the details of this lobbying are no longer held centrally and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost. However, our lobbying has increased since the start of the intifada in September 2000.
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Among the issues raised on many occasions in 2003 were:
- civilian casualties;
- targeted assassinations;
- demolitions;
- confiscation of land;
- prisoners held in administrative detention;
- impact of the fence and "closed zone";
- settlements and outposts;
- inappropriate behaviour by the Israel Defence Forces and rules of engagement;
- checkpoints and other internal barriers;
- the closure and curfew regimes;
- the hindrance to the movement of humanitarian aid;
- access problems for humanitarian workers and other essential staff;
- movement restrictions of dual nationals.
Separately, we have also raised issues concerning the Bedouin and Arab Israelis.
Mr. Robert Ellis
Mr. Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 20 January 2004, Official Report, column 1162W, on Mr. Robert Ellis, what the nature was of the representations made and of the response given during the discussion of the case of Mr. Robert Ellis that took place between the Minister of State and the Head of the Turkish European Secretariat General in Ankara on 13 January. [151768]
Mr. MacShane: As I said in my answer of 20 January and in my letter of 7 January to the right hon. Member, Robert Ellis has received an extraordinary level of support from British Ministers and our diplomatic, commercial and consular network in Turkey. My own meeting with the European Union Secretariat General in Ankara on 13 January was simply the most recent occasion on which we drew attention to our continuing interest in this case. Our concerns were noted.
Pakistan
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Pakistan's adherence to UN Security Council Resolution 1373. [151672]
Mr. Straw: Pakistan has submitted three reports to the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee, showing commitment and real progress in meeting the requirements of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373. Pakistan has signed or ratified 10 of the 12 anti-terrorism conventions, and is an important partner on counter-terrorism. We are encouraged by Pakistan's efforts and will continue to work closely with Pakistan in this area.
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