§ Mr. SpringTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next proposes to meet his Spanish counterpart as part of the Brussels process. [18894]
§ Peter HainMy right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and the Spanish Foreign Minister propose to hold a further ministerial meeting of the Brussels Process in early next year.
312W
§ Mr. SpringTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the geographical limits of the administrative area of Gibraltar as defined in Article 10 of the Treaty of Utrecht. [18898]
§ Peter HainThe territory of Gibraltar includes both the Rock and the southern part of the Isthmus connecting the Rock to Spain; UK title is based on both the treaty of Utrecht and continuous possession over a long period of time. The Government are confident of the UK's title to the territory.
§ Mr. SpringTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when(a) he and (b) one of the Ministers in his Department visited Gibraltar in the last four years and when (i) he and (ii) one of the Ministers in his Department propose to do so. [18899]
§ Peter HainMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State hopes to pay his first visit as Foreign Secretary to Gibraltar
Dates Ministers 22–23 July 1999 Joyce Quin 10–11 May 2000 Keith Vaz 6 September 2001 Peter Hain
§ Mr. SpringTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment was made at the recent meeting in Barcelona between himself and his Spanish counterpart of the level of cross-border smuggling from Gibraltar. [18897]
§ Peter HainThe Spanish Foreign Minister and my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary did not discuss the issue of cross-border smuggling at the ministerial meeting of the Brussels Process in Barcelona on 20 November.
§ Miss KirkbrideTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, as part of the negotiations with Spain, the Government are discussing giving inhabitants of Gibraltar the right to vote in elections to the European Parliament. [19965]
§ Peter HainI refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for St. Helens, North (Mr. Watts) on 29 November 2001,Official Report, column 1081W.
The decision to extend the European Parliamentary franchise to Gibraltar in this way is for the UK. But, in preparing to take this step we have been in contact with all interested parties, including Spain.
§ Mr. RosindellTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what statement the Spanish Foreign Minister made relating to the ability of EU citizens resident in Gibraltar to vote in European parliamentary elections during his recent meeting with UK Ministers. [20227]
§ Peter HainI refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for St. Helens, North (Mr. Watts) on 29 November 2001,Official Report, column 1081W.
313WAt the meeting in Barcelona on 20 November, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and the Spanish Foreign Minister welcomed progress on a number of issues, including enfranchisement for the purpose of elections to the European Parliament.