HC Deb 04 November 2003 vol 412 cc552-3W
Mr. Robathan

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he has taken to trail assets moved by spouses and children of senior ZANU PF officials; and if he will make a statement. [135259]

Mr. Mullin

In 2002 the EU imposed an asset freeze on senior members of the Zimbabwe government. The list of targets includes Grace Mugabe, Robert Mugabe's wife. We are obliged to locate and freeze any assets held by her in the UK. While no other spouses or children of senior Zanu PF officials are on the sanctions list, if a UK bank suspects that an account in someone else's name is being used by or for a Zimbabwean on the sanctions then it should be reported to the Bank of England.

Mr. Robathan

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response he has made to the threat by Mr. Robert Mugabe to use British citizens as hostages in the event of British action. [135310]

Mr. Mullin

Mugabe has made a range of threats in response to alleged British plans to intervene in Zimbabwe. There are no such plans.

Mr. Robathan

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his response to the Eighth Report of Session 2002–03 from the Foreign Affairs Committee on Zimbabwe, if he will now revisit his decision not to take steps to strip Mr. Robert Mugabe of his honorary knighthood. [135342]

Mr. Mullin

Our position on this remains unchanged. We do not view the removal of Mugabe's honorary knighthood, conferred on him in 1994. on the recommendation of the previous government, as an immediate priority. Our current efforts are focused on providing humanitarian assistance to the people of Zimbabwe, whilst encouraging the return of a democratically accountable government which respects human rights and the rule of law. We may nevertheless revisit this question in the future.

Mr. Matins

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his plans for(a) the consular section of the British

£000
(a) Consultations (b) Pilot Schemes (c) Conferences (d) Publications (e) Staffing
2001–02 69 n/a 1 697 1,371
2002–03 964 168 45 1,548 3,136
2003–041 672 701 59 563 2,044
1 To end September 2003.

Notes:

  1. 1. Figures given in columns (a) and (b) exclude staffing, publications and conference costs relating to these work streams. These appear as part of the global figures in columns (c),(d) and (e).
  2. 2. Consultation costs include consultation activities and public and public opinions research undertaken by the Electoral Commission in relation to policy reviews under section 6 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (PPERA) and to inform the preparation of statutory election reports under section 5 of PPERA. It also includes consultation exercises carried out by the Boundary Committee for England costs associated with consultations carried out as part of the current Local Government Reviews are also included; however, there is an off setting Appropriation in Aid from the budget of the office of the Deputy Prime Minister to meet these costs.
  3. 3. The Boundary Committee for England was established as part of the Electoral Commission on 1 April 2002. Costs for 2001–02 therefore do not include the costs associated with periodic electoral reviews of English local authorities, which in that year were being undertaken by the local Government Commission for England.
  4. 4. The Commission first evaluated an electoral pilot scheme in April 2002. No costs were therefore incurred in 2001–02.
  5. 5. Staffing costs include secondees and agency staff.

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