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Written Answers
Thursday, 20th February 1997.
St. Helena: UK Aid
The Earl of Northesk asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether an aid settlement has yet been agreed for St. Helena.
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey): I am pleased to advise that I have this month approved a £26 million development commitment to St. Helena covering the next three years. This significant allocation, which represents an increase over previous plans, is linked to an agreement between the St. Helena Government and HMG on a three year Country Policy Plan (CPP). This provides a detailed framework for the reform and development of the island's economy. It illustrates the Government's continuing commitment to ensuring economic development and proper governance of the UK dependent territories as a whole.
NATO: Nuclear Guarantees
Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether the statement issued in the course of the NATO meeting in December that NATO had "no intention, no plan and no reason" to deploy nuclear weapons in new member states (first Written Answer by Baroness Chalker of Wallasey on 22 January
(WA 58)) is a formal or an informal undertaking; and whether that statement is compatible with the Government's statement to the effect that "the coverage provided by Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, including its nuclear component, will apply to new members" [second Written Answer by Baroness Chalker of Wallasey 22 January (WA 58)].
Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: The statement to which the noble Lord refers was agreed by NATO Foreign and Defence Ministers and is a firm political declaration on deployment of nuclear weapons on the territory of any new member state. It is compatible with our obligations under Article 5 of the Washington treaty.
NATO Enlargement: Equipment Requirements
Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What steps NATO is taking to ensure that the governments of central and eastern European countries which have applied to join NATO are not being subjected to misleading commercial or other pressures to purchase weapon systems, whether used or new, which could result in arms races if and when
- their applications to join NATO are not accepted by the governments or parliaments of NATO's existing members.
Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: NATO has not set equipment requirements in the context of enlargement. It is for the countries concerned to decide what equipment their armed forces need.
Iraq: "Atonement" Letter
Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will state the meaning of the word "atonement" in the recent letter on the subject of Iraq to the Independent from Mr. Jeremy Hanley, MP, Minister of State at the Foreign Office; whether the concept is recognised in international law; and whether it appears in any of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: "To atone" could otherwise be expressed as "to make amends for". The relevant Security Council resolutions require Iraq to compensate the victims of its occupation of Kuwait, to return stolen property, and to account for the whereabouts of those missing since the occupation.
Overseas Aid: Arms Deals
Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What arrangements they now have in place to ensure that their overseas programme is never directly or indirectly related to arms deals.
Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: Consistent with the Overseas Development and Co-operation Act 1980, the primary purpose of all development assistance budget spending is developmental. All projects must pass the usual tests of developmental soundness. Arms deals never have any connection, direct or indirect, with the provision of British development assistance.
UN: International Criminal Tribunal
Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What action they are taking with fellow members of the UN Security Council to restore the credibility of the international genocide tribunal and trials
in Rwanda following the report by UN Inspector-General, Karl Paschke.
Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: We are ready to assist the UN in reforming the International Criminal Tribunal. We welcome Secretary-General Annan's announcement that he will pursue this urgently, in the light of the report by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services, and we expect rapid follow-up action.
Great Lakes Region
Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What specific initiatives they have taken to advance a regional political settlement in the Great Lakes area of Africa.
Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: We fully support the UN/OAU Special Envoy to the Great Lakes region, Mohamed Sahnoun, in his efforts, co-ordinated with regional leaders, to prepare for and convene an international conference under UN/OAU auspices. We therefore welcome UN Security Council Resolution 1097, adopted on 18 February, endorsing Mr. Sahnoun's five-point peace plan, which includes the convening of an international conference.
Legislation Against Terrorism: Report
The Earl of Stockton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they are yet able to respond to Lord Lloyd of Berwick's recommendations in the report of his inquiry into legislation against terrorism.
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Blatch): The noble and learned Lord, Lord Lloyd of Berwick, has produced a thoughtful and comprehensive set of recommendations for new, permanent counter-terrorism legislation covering the whole of the United Kingdom in the event of a lasting peace being established in Northern Ireland. My right honourable friend and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland are grateful for this work; but in the continuing absence of a lasting peace they believe that it is too early to reach a firm view on possible fundamental legislative change. They hope that there will soon be a permanent cessation of violence which would enable us to look again at the possibility of providing a new legislative framework for combatting terrorism.
The Government do however intend to bring forward in due course proposals to strengthen existing controls on terrorist finances, along the lines of Lord Lloyd's very helpful analysis. These proposals will include extending existing controls more widely to international terrorism.
Basking Shark: Protection
Lord Moran asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will accept the recommendation of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee that the basking shark should be included in the list of protected species under Schedule 5 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and, if so, whether the European Union's agreement with Norway under which Norwegian fishermen are able to fish for basking sharks in European Union waters will be amended or replaced.
The Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Earl Ferrers): A formal public consultation on the Joint Nature Conservation Committee's recommendation, part of their third Quinquennial Review of Schedules 5 and 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, began on 29 January 1997 and is due to end on 1 April 1997. It will not be possible to make a final decision about the recommendation until full consideration of responses to the consultation exercise has taken place. However, should the basking shark be listed, it is understood there will be no need to amend or replace the EU/Norway agreement. The arrangement applies to member state waters outside territorial waters, whilst the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 only applies to those territorial waters.
English Nature: Review
Baroness Rawlings asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What progress has been made on the financial, management and policy review of English Nature.
Earl Ferrers: The financial management and policy review of English Nature has been completed. The intention of the review was to see whether English Nature's systems of internal control over both administrative and programme expenditure were reliable and effective. Today the report was presented to my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and to the chairman of English Nature, and I have arranged for copies of the report to be placed in the Library of the House.
The review by my department has made more than 50 recommendations. As a result of the review there will be a major change in the relationship between the department and English Nature which will include the introduction of single running cost control, a revised financial memorandum, and a management statement.
Single running cost control is an annual cash limit for a non-departmental public body running costs which replaces more detailed item by item scrutiny. It enables a non-departmental public body to manage its own administration expenditure within that limit, subject to such overall constraints as government policy on pay. The establishment of single running cost control emphasises that primary responsibility for both financial control and value for money rests with the non-departmental public body's own management.
For a non-departmental public body to be able to follow such an approach requires the support, encouragement and co-operation of its sponsoring department. English Nature and the department will work together to achieve this aim.
I consider that all of the recommendations are important. Together, they constitute a package which will enable English Nature to continue to ensure that it is operating in an efficient and effective manner.
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