§ Lord Juddasked Her Majesty's Government:
Which professional, public voluntary, private and business organisations are being consulted in the preparations of the United Kingdom's position for participation in the World Summit for Social Development, which is to take place in Copenhagen in March 1995.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey)Information about the summit has been disseminated to over 200 contacts from a wide range of organisations in the UK. Of those who wish to contribute, some are in direct contact with the Government; others are in touch with a central contact point in UNED-UK (the UK branch of the United Nations Environment and Development NGO) which the Foreign Office is funding specifically to disseminate information about the summit and to ensure that any NGO with an interest in the summit's issues can make its voice heard. We welcome their interest and involvement and will remain in close touch with UK NGOs during the preparatory process and at Copenhagen itself.
§ Lord Juddasked Her Majesty's Government:
Which Ministries and which government departments are involved in preparing for the United Kingdom's participation in the World Summit for Social Development, which is to take place in Copenhagen in March 1995.
§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyThose government departments most directly involved in preparing for the United Kingdom's participation in the World Summit for Social Development are the Foreign Office (which is co-ordinating preparations), the Overseas Development Administration, the Department of Employment and the Department of Social Security. The Department of Trade and Industry, HM Treasury, the Department for Education, the Department of Health, the Central Statistical Office and the Lord Chancellor's Department have also participated as appropriate.
§ Lord Juddasked Her Majesty's Government:
What are their principal priorities for the outcome of the World Summit for Social Development which is to take place in Copenhagen in March 1995.
§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyOur principal priorities are to raise the level and improve the focus of the international debate around the issues of development.
§ Lord Juddasked Her Majesty's Government:
Who will be their representatives at the World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen in March 1995 and whether arrangements have been made for the Prime Minister to attend.
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§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyA final decision on attendance at the summit will be made nearer the date.
§ Lord Juddasked Her Majesty's Government:
What evaluations they are making of the social and economic costs of armed conflict throughout the world and the need for new approaches to conflict resolution and pre-emptive diplomacy in their preparations for participation in the World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen in March 1995.
§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyWe fully recognise the high social and economic costs of armed conflicts. We are, for example, taking a leading role in the major OECD/DAC evaluation of the international emergency response to the Rwanda crisis.
We are also fully aware of the importance of preventive diplomacy and of its potential benefits. At the 48th General Assembly in 1993, we introduced, jointly with France, an initiative which, inter alia, led to us handing over to the Secretary-General a representative list of British statesmen and experts prepared to undertake preventive diplomacy measures. We are also engaged in discussion with various NGOs on the subject of preventive diplomacy.