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28 Feb 2007 : Column WA307
Written Answers
Wednesday 28 February 2007
Afghanistan: Opium
Lord Blaker asked Her Majesty's Government:
What study they have made of the means, whether human, motorised or animal, by which most of the opium or related products are transported away from the poppy fields in Afghanistan; and what was the result of any such study. [HL2047]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): The routes, methods and those involved in drugs trafficking in and from Afghanistan are subject to ongoing investigation by UK and other agencies. The information gathered is used to support the efforts of the Afghan authorities in frustrating the drug trade. The annual United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime opium survey also contains information on trafficking. Traffickers have been known to use a range of different methods, primarily those raised in the noble Lord's Question, to transport opium and related products from poppy fields. The methods vary within and between provinces.
Airports: Heathrow
Baroness Ludford asked Her Majesty's Government:
When they expect to publish the final report of the Project for the Sustainable Development of Heathrow. [HL2045]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Project for the Sustainable Development of Heathrow is a work programme aimed at reviewing the scope for further development of the airport while meeting environmental limits, particularly on air quality and noise. We plan to publish the results in the context of a public consultation exercise later this year, once the environmental assessment has been completed.
Bangladesh: Chittagong Hill Tracts
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have received information from the caretaker Government of Bangladesh about their intention to comply with the 1997 Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord. [HL2160]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): We do not as yet have any information from the caretaker Government of Bangladesh about their policies regarding the Chittagong Hill Tracts and the implementation of the 1997 peace accord. Officials from our High Commission in Dhaka expect to visit the Chittagong Hill Tracts in mid-March. This will provide an opportunity for an assessment of the current situation there.
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Children: Rights
Baroness Walmsley asked Her Majesty's Government:
When they will issue for consultation the United Kingdom's draft periodic report to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child. [HL2153]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Lord Adonis): The Government intend to invite comments from non-governmental organisations on the UK draft periodic report on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. No date has yet been set.
Baroness Walmsley asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is in their response to the latest state of children's rights in England report from the Children's Rights Alliance for England. [HL2154]
Lord Adonis: The Government have not responded to the Children's Rights Alliance for England report, State of Children's Rights in England 2006. The Government will outline how they have implemented the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and how they have addressed the concluding observations presented by the United Nations in 2002 in the forthcoming UK report on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Children: UN Conventions
Baroness Walmsley asked Her Majesty's Government:
Which Minister has lead responsibility for ensuring that the United Kingdom complies with the Convention on the Rights of the Child; and whether that responsibility is listed in that Minister's portfolio; and [HL2121]
Who will be responsible for co-ordinating government action on any recommendations made by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child following its examination of the United Kingdom in 2008. [HL2122]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Lord Adonis): The Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families has the lead responsibility for ensuring that the United Kingdom complies with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and this is part of the Minister's portfolio. The Minister also has overall responsibility for co-ordinating any action on recommendations made by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child.
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Baroness Walmsley asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Sub-Committee on Children's Policy of the Ministerial Committee on Domestic Affairs had discussions relating to (a) the United Kingdom's obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and (b) the recommendations relating to the United Kingdom made by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child in 2002. [HL2123]
Lord Adonis: Information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet committees is generally not disclosed, as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.
Baroness Walmsley asked Her Majesty's Government:
What consideration is being given in the current Comprehensive Spending Review to the United Kingdom's obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in particular the recommendations in 2002 of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child. [HL2124]
Lord Adonis: Implementing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is part of a broader government commitment of promoting and improving the outcomes for all children and young people. This is being considered in the context of the Comprehensive Spending Review, in particular through the joint HMT/DfES policy review of children and young people.
EU: Armed Forces
Lord Blaker asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): EU Battlegroups are composed of about 1,500 troops and support elements from one or more nations. Their purpose is to enable the EU to respond rapidly to emerging crises; for example, in support of UN operations.
Lord Blaker asked Her Majesty's Government:
What countries are represented in the European Union Battlegroups; and what is the size of each group. [HL2049]
Lord Triesman: All EU member states, except Denmark, which does not participate in military European security and defence policy, and Malta, have committed forces to the current EU Battlegroups roster, which ends in 2010. Norway and Turkey have also done so. Each Battlegroup is comprised of about 1,500 troops and is on standby for a six-month period.
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EU: Membership
Lord Monson asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Triesman on 8 February (WA 154—5), which of the republics that comprised the former USSR are deemed under Article 49 of the treaty on European Union to be European states for the purpose of potential European Union membership in the longer term. [HL2192]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): Article 49 of the treaty on European Union states that any European country may apply for membership if it respects the principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law. We share the Commission's opinion, expressed in its 1992 report Europe and the Challenge of Enlargement, that “European” means,
- “the shared experience of proximity, ideas, values, and historical interaction [and therefore] cannot be condensed into a simple formula, and is subject to review by each succeeding generation ... it is neither possible nor opportune to establish now the frontiers of the European Union, whose contours will be shaped over many years to come”.
Lord Monson asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Triesman on 8 February (WA 154—5), which other countries that lie to the east and south of the European Union as presently constituted are deemed under Article 49 of the treaty on European Union to be European states for the purpose of potential European Union membership in the longer term. [HL2193]
Lord Triesman: Article 49 of the treaty on European Union states that any European country may apply for membership if it respects the principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law. We share the Commission's opinion, expressed in its 1992 report Europe and the Challenge of Enlargement, that “European” means,
- “the shared experience of proximity, ideas, values, and historical interaction [and therefore] cannot be condensed into a simple formula, and is subject to review by each succeeding generation ... it is neither possible nor opportune to establish now the frontiers of the European Union, whose contours will be shaped over many years to come”.
EU: Single Market
Lord Tebbit asked Her Majesty's Government:
Which proposals advanced within the European Union under the provisions of Article 308 of the treaty establishing the European Union do not relate to the working of the single market. [HL2111]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): Proposals advanced within the European Union under the provisions of Article 308 of the treaty establishing the European Community must relate to the working
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Extraordinary Rendition
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they accept the Council of Europe's figures for United States rendition flights through British aerodromes; and whether they now will ascertain the personal details and ultimate destinations of all civilians carried on United States military flights and on aircraft under contract to United States agencies which use British aerodromes. [HL2143]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): The UK has found no evidence of detainees being rendered through the UK or the overseas territories since 1997, where there were substantial grounds to believe there was a real risk of torture. Additionally, we have no evidence that the US Government have rendered any detainee through UK territory or airspace, including the overseas territories, during the present US Administration; that is, since January 2001. We are clear that the US would not render a detainee through UK territory or airspace, including the overseas territories, without our permission. We would grant such permission only if we were satisfied that the rendition would accord with UK law and our international obligations.
Neither the secretary-general of the Council of Europe's reports of 28 February and 14 May 2006 on the question of secret detention and transport of detainees suspected of terrorist acts nor the recent report of the European Parliament on the alleged use of European countries by the CIA for the transportation and illegal detention of prisoners has provided any new evidence in respect of the UK. We do not propose to ascertain these details routinely in the absence of any such evidence of unlawful actions in our territory or airspace.
Health: Voluntary and Community Sector Partnership Team
Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the reply by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 17 January (WA 159) about the Department of Health's voluntary and community sector partnership team, what further representations they have now received from the National International Forum; and what reply they will be sending. [HL1567]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): In addition to the representation from the chair of the National Information Forum referred to in my previous reply, a further representation
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Housing: Energy Reports
Baroness Hanham asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): The price of an energy performance certificate will be set by the market and not by government.
Iraq: Health Minister
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their response to the arrest of Iraqi Health Minister Al-Shammari by United States forces in Baghdad on 8 February. [HL2115]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): We do not comment on individual detention cases and we understand that the detention on 8 February 2007 refers to the Deputy Health Minister, Hakem Al-Zamili, rather than the Health Minister, Ali Al-Shammari.
Israel and Palestine: Mecca Peace Accord
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
What assessment they have made of the Mecca peace and national unity accord, in particular the willingness by President Abbas to include the 2002 peace talks and previous agreements signed between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation. [HL2216]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): We welcome President Abbas's efforts for intra-Palestinian reconciliation. We welcome Saudi Arabia's efforts to broker an agreement between Fatah and Hamas in Mecca.
It is essential that all sides comply with the principles set out by the quartet, in particular that the new national unity Government uphold previous international agreements, recognise Israel and renounce violence. We await the final details of the new national unity Government. We hope that all sides will work together to drive the peace process forward.
The EU position is set out in the General Affairs and External Relations Council conclusions of 12 February, which called for,
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The quartet statement of 21 February expressed its,
- “appreciation for the role of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and the cessation of violence among Palestinians”.
The UK supports both positions.
Official Documents: Twelvetrees Crescent Warehouse
Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Davies of Oldham on 1 February (WA 77), whether, from the titles and likely content of those files relating to the Millennium Experience destroyed in the Iron Mountain fire in July 2006, any reference to Philip Anschutz or any of his organisations or associates would have been included.[HL2137]
Lord Davies of Oldham: Although we have no way of confirming this, it is extremely unlikely that there were any references to Philip Anschutz or any of his organisations or associates, as they would not have been pertinent to the administration of the Millennium Commission grant.
28 Feb 2007 : Column WA314
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