HC Deb 30 October 1996 vol 284 cc648-9
14. Mr. Thurnham

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received about the measures announced in the Queen's Speech. [697]

Sir Nicholas Bonsor

None.

Mr. Thurnham

Will the Government bear in mind the important work done by the BBC World Service and ensure that its work is properly funded? Is it not the most successful service of its kind in the world and should we not invest in its success?

Sir Nicholas Bonsor

As the hon. Gentleman should be well aware, given where he sat in the House until recently, the Government give great support to the World Service, which does a magnificent job worldwide. We will continue to support it.

Mr. Wilkinson

Can my hon. Friend reassure the House that the Government will be consistent with the commitment in the Queen's Speech to the pursuit of the liberal economy by the European Union? In particular, will he bear in mind the potentially disastrous consequences to our economy of the imposition of a working time directive by the European Union through the mechanism of the health and safety procedures? Were that to happen, could the Government exercise their veto and just ignore what the European Court of Justice would try to impose?

Sir Nicholas Bonsor

As my hon. Friend knows, it is likely that the European Court of Justice will report later in November on the working time directive. The Government will have to review that report closely and consult industry to see what action needs to be taken. Should the working time directive give us difficulty, we shall work hard in the IGC to obtain an amendment of the European Union rules.

Mr. Tony Lloyd

The Queen's Speech makes mention of the need to deal with human suffering at the international level. The tragedy that is unfolding on our television screens here, but in real life in Zaire, is one on which the attention of the whole House should be fixed. Does the Minister agree with the proposition put forward for many months by the aid agencies and by those on the ground that the answer to the situation involves not just humanitarian aid but political action by the international community? If he agrees with that proposition, will he tell the House why the Government, with other members of the Security Council, have done very little in that time to bring the warring parties together? Will he ensure that Britain plays a leading role in bringing all the parties in Zaire, Rwanda and Burundi to the conference table to find a political solution, without which hundreds of thousands of lives will be lost?

Sir Nicholas Bonsor

I agree that political as well as humanitarian aid and effort is required from the international community. I do not accept that this tragedy is unfolding because of the failure of the international community. There is a limit to what the international community can do to help those who will not help themselves. We will continue to strive extremely hard to try to bring this tragedy to a close.