HC Deb 07 June 2000 vol 351 cc293-5W
Mr. Mackinlay

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library the speeches and press releases and documents pertaining to the United Kingdom's bilateral and EU relations with Spain which have related to Gibraltar, since the recent agreement was reached with Spain on Gibraltar. [124835]

Mr. Vaz

A copy of the documents relating to the arrangements covering a number of issues within the European Union concerning Gibraltar which were agreed with Spain following extensive consultation with the Government of Gibraltar were placed in the Library of the House on 19 April 2000, and details were given to the House by the Foreign Secretary on the same day,Official Report, columns 499–500W. The Foreign Secretary's statement announcing the arrangements on 19 April will also be placed in the Library.

Mr. Mackinlay

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what information he has collected relating to the average time of waiting at the Spain-Gibraltar border for motor vehicles entering or leaving Gibraltar since the recent agreement reached with Spain on Gibraltar; [124834]

(2) if he will list, for each day since the recent agreement with Spain about Gibraltar, the (a) longest and (b) average waiting time for vehicles entering or leaving Gibraltar. [124833]

Dr. Marek

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if there has been a diminution of delays at the border between Gibraltar and Spain as a result of the recent Anglo-Spanish agreement. [124798]

Mr. Vaz

The border did not form part of the discussions between Her Majesty's Government and the Spanish Government, which concluded on 19 April, with the support of the Government of Gibraltar. The table shows maximum and average delay times for cars entering and leaving Gibraltar since 19 April, based on figures collated by the Royal Gibraltar Police.

his Department since 1 May 1997; and if he will make a statement. [124840]

Mr. Battle

The information is in the table.

Minutes
Delay exiting Gibraltar Delay exiting Gibraltar
Date Maximum Average Maximum Average
April
19 75 41 30 11
20 45 31 15 5
21 20 15 20 12
22 Saturday 45 35 60 35
23 Easter 60 40 30 5
24 Bank Holiday 60 41 20 15
25 60 41 45 14
26 60 45 45 23
27 90 43 20 3
28 90 44 45 10
29 Saturday 75 47 60 24
30 Sunday 75 41 75 25
May
01 Bank Holiday 75 48 60 25
02 75 52 30 6
03 75 49 30 7
04 45 33 30 5
05 90 30 60 15
06 Saturday 90 65 30 7
07 Sunday 60 35 15 3
08 60 45 15 5
09 45 41 25 5
10 60 31 45 9
11 75 35 40 6
12 90 34 45 10
13 Saturday 45 32 40 9
14 Sunday 90 54 20 2
15 90 51 20 4
16 60 37 0 0
17 120 38 45 8
18 60 43 30 5
19 90 47 45 7
20 Saturday 75 61 20 1
21 Sunday 180 76 0 0
22 90 47 40 7
23 75 49 20 5
24 90 40 45 7
25 75 37 20 1
26 90 44 30 4
27 Saturday 60 36 15 2
28 Sunday 30 12 0 0
29 Bank Holiday 30 14 30 9
30 90 39 30 6
31 90 52 45 8
June
01 60 40 20 3
02 60 33 40 8
03 Saturday 60 40 20 5
04 Sunday 40 28 0 0
05 90 33 30 5

Note

Average delays are measured for the period 0900 to 2100, when most traffic crosses the border.

Dr. Marek

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role his Department will play in respect of matters covered by the recent Anglo-Spanish agreement. [124812]

Mr. Vaz

A United Kingdom Government/Gibraltar Liaison Unit for EU Affairs has been established in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office with responsibility for conveying formal communications between Gibraltar authorities and their counterparts in other EU member states under the new arrangements concerning Gibraltar competent authorities. The Department will also play a role in facilitating as necessary the implementation of other aspects of the various new arrangements, including the development of practical cooperation between the Royal Gibraltar Police and the Spanish police forces under the new police cooperation arrangements.

Dr. Marek

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the visits made by himself or his ministers to Gibraltar within the last two years, stating the(a) purpose and (b) outcome of the visit. [124799]

Mr. Vaz

My right hon. Friend the Member for Gateshead, East and Washington, West (Ms Quin) visited Gibraltar on 22–23 July 1999 and I visited on 18–19 May 2000.

The main purpose of the visits was to enable Ministers responsible for Gibraltar to meet and hear the views of the people of Gibraltar and their elected representatives. This was achieved.

My hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, North (Mr. Henderson) also visited Gibraltar from 7–8 October 1997.