Sierra Leone

HC Deb 31 July 1998 vol 317 cc687-90W

Mrs. Gillan

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Mr. Peter Penfold's position as High Commissioner to Sierra Leone will end. [53871]

Mr. Robin Cook

Mr. Penfold became High Commissioner to Sierra Leone in March 1997. Staff in the High Commission normally serve two tours of duty of 12 months each, with an option of a third. This tour length reflects the classification of Freetown as a "difficult post".

Mrs. Gillan

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those private military companies on which explicit guidance will be given to officials on handling their contacts with such companies. [53873]

Mr. Tony Lloyd

[holding answer 30 July 1998]There is no such list. We are in the process of preparing more detailed guidance, in consultation with other Whitehall departments.

Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department informed the Prime Minister before 11 May that Mr. Penfold had displayed a lack of caution in his dealings with Colonel Spicer. [54256]

Mr. Robin Cook

No. That Mr. Penfold displayed a lack of caution in his dealings with Mr. Spicer is a finding of the Report of the Sierra Leone Arms Investigation. I have stated previously that it would have been improper to draw conclusions on the actions of individuals in advance of the full, independent findings of Sir Thomas Legg's investigation.

Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will place in the Library the Permanent Under Secretary's letter to Mr. Peter Penfold; [54257]

(2) if he will make a statement on the Permanent Under Secretary's interview with Mr. Peter Penfold. [54255]

Mr. Robin Cook

No. Such matters are in confidence between the FCO and its employees.

Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral statement of 27 July 19998,Official Report, column 19, what advice has been received from Sierra Leone authorities on the role of Mr. Peter Penfold in the restoration of civilian Government. [54254]

Mr. Robin Cook

President Kabbah wrote to the Prime Minister in May 1998 to thank him for HMG's support. He stated that Mr. Penfold had encouraged his Government to remain committed to the ideals of democracy and not to lose hope. The letter said that Mr. Penfold had been a source of moral strength.

Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice was given to Mr. Peter Penfold at CHOGM in Edinburgh, on his relations with President Kabbah. [54260]

Mr. Robin Cook

None.

Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to section 10 of the report of the Sierra Leone Arms Investigation for what reasons Mr. Penfold was not informed that in banning the supply of arms to Sierra Leone, the resulting embargo covered all parties. [54259]

Mr. Robin Cook

The Report notes that Mr. Penfold was sent the full text of Security Council Resolution 1132 on 8 October.

We have accepted the finding of the Report that FCO officials were not as alert to the importance of sanctions enforcement as they should have been. We have set up a new Sanctions Enforcement Unit, which has responsibility for ensuring that the relevant terms of any Security Council Resolution, and the details of the Order in Council giving effect to the Resolution in UK law, are drawn to the attention of all officials in London and to all diplomatic missions.

Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral answer of 27 July 1998,Official Report, column 31, what factors underlie his description of Britain's record in Sierra Leone as positive. [54258]

Mr. Robin Cook

Britain has a consistent record of supporting democracy in Sierra Leone. The UK provided funding for the elections in 1996. After the military coup in 1997 we led international efforts to support peaceful restoration of the democratic government. DfID gave assistance to President Kabbah while in Conakry to enable him to plan for the resumption of his government. We provided assistance to refugees through the ICRC.

Britain was first on the scene with humanitarian aid after the restoration of President Kabbah. We have sponsored the UN resolution providing for military observers to help the process of demilitarisation, and we are providing four Military Officers to serve as UN Military Observers. We are providing aid to fund the process of strengthening democracy, civil reconstruction and military demobilisation. We are the first donor to the UN Trust Fund for Sierra Leone.

Mrs. Gillan

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the Sandline paper itemised as document 49 dated 2 February in Annex D of the Legg report; if this document is identical the Sandline planning paper dated 28 January noted in Annex B; and if both documents were viewed by the Legg investigation. [54543]

Mr. Robin Cook

The two references refer to the same document. It was seen by the Legg investigation. The paper in question is not an FCO document and was not given to us on the basis that it would be published. I do not therefore intend to place it in the Library of the House, but I have told the Foreign Affairs Committee that I would be willing to consider any specific request to have access to documents listed in the Annex to the Legg report.

Mrs. Gillan

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the reference to a helicopter in FCO telegram 37 to Abuja relates to aviation operated by Sandline in a military context; and if he will make a statement. [54474]

Mr. Robin Cook

The telegram refers to reports of several helicopter flights carrying Kamajors from Lungi airport and says that the helicopter is assumed to be an MI17. No further information is given about the helicopter or its operators.

Mrs. Gillan

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Legg report, if he will make a statement on the nature of the work undertaken by Ann Grant of AD(E) in Brussels on 4 to 6 February; when the work was planned; and who organised the work. [54553]

Mr. Robin Cook

Ms Grant was attending, as representative of the UK Presidency of the European Union, a monthly meeting of the Africa Working Group of the Council of the European Union.

Mrs. Gillan

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the reasons Sir Thomas Legg QC advertised for witnesses for his investigation in national newspapers; what response he gave to Sir Thomas Legg on being informed that such a move was intended; and what was the response achieved from them. [54548]

Mr. Robin Cook

The investigation advertised in order that people outside the public service could contribute any relevant evidence. 35 responses were received. The investigation was entirely independent and I gave no comment to Sir Thomas Legg on its working practices.

Mrs. Gillan

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the nature of the random checks undertaken by the Legg Inquiry to verify that all relevant material had successfully been collated. [54475]

Mr. Robin Cook

The random check of the relevant files in the FCO referred to in paragraph 2.12 of the Legg report was conducted by a member of the Secretariat at an early stage in the investigation. This involved a thorough trawl of the records and files held in the relevant registry in Africa Command.

Mrs. Gillan

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Mr. Penfold communicated with staff of Sandline during his visit to Canada and North America at the turn of 1998; and what reports were dispatched to Whitehall in consequence. [54544]

Mr. Robin Cook

Mr. Penfold spent three days in New York with Mr. Flynn, the Foreign Secretary's Special Representative on Sierra Leone, between 14–16 January. While Mr. Penfold was in New York, he telephoned Mr. Spicer to ask whether he had any up-to-date information on the security situation in Sierra Leone. Mr. Penfold sent no reports to London while he was in the USA or Canada.

Mrs. Gillan

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the ministers who saw press releases pertaining to SCR1132(a) before and (b) after release of such internal FCO documents assessing the effect of the arms embargo on forces opposed to the Sierra Leone coup; and on what dates. [54547]

Mr. Robin Cook

The press line announcing the adoption of UNSCR 1132 was seen at the time by the Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd).

Mrs. Gillan

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those documents requested by the Legg inquiry which (i) had been destroyed, (ii) had been mislaid and (iii) of which no trace in the records existed. [54550]

Mr. Robin Cook

No documents requested by Sir Thomas Legg were unavailable to him for any of the reasons cited.

Mr. David Heath

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the recommendations of the Legg Inquiry what proposals he has to improve communications between Ministers in his Department. [53976]

Mr. Robin Cook

The Report of the Sierra Leone Arms Investigation contains no findings to suggest that communications between Ministers were unsatisfactory. Nevertheless, guidance issued in the light of the Report covers the processing of papers to and between Ministers.