§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reply he has received to his representation made on 19 April to Foreign Minister Carlos Westendorp about the delays on the Gibraltar-Spain border. [26260]
§ Mr. David DavisNone.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) pursuant to the oral statement of the Minister of State, the right hon. Member for Eddisbury (Mr. Goodlad) of 20 December,Official Report, column 1535, what courses of action Her Majesty's Government have taken as a consequence of the deliberations of the Gibraltar joint economic forum; [26268]
(2) what assistance and advice has been offered to the Gibraltar Government to expand and diversify their economy; and if he will make a statement. [26255]
§ Mr. David DavisWe have provided extensive advice and assistance to the Government of Gibraltar. An economic study, identifying market opportunities which could be exploited by Gibraltar, was supplied in 1993, and another dealing with the impact of MOD drawdown and ways to compensate for that in 1994. In 1994, we set 669W up the joint economic forum to consider ways of assisting Gibraltar in the wake of that rundown. We have also negotiated considerable EC structural funds help for Gibraltar. The MOD runs a training programme.
All this took place against the background of the completion of the 1986 to 1990 development grant, following which the Gibraltar Government have not requested further UK bilateral assistance.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of the longest wait and extent of delays for pedestrians and cars in either direction on the Gibraltar-Spain border, for each day since 17 May. [26259]
§ Mr. David DavisI will write to the hon. Member shortly.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the oral statement of the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Boothferry (Mr. Davis), of 17 May,Official Report, column 307, if he will amplify on the method by which Her Majesty's Government have stood up for the rights of Gibraltarians in the current border problems; and what is the measure of success to date. [26257]
§ Mr. David DavisThe oral statement of the Minister of State referred to set out the position.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the oral statement of the Minister of State, the right hon. Member for Eddisbury (Mr. Goodlad) of 20 December,Official Report, column 1534, if he has anything to add to his comments about spurious claims by the Spaniards in regard to the success rate of the Royal Gibraltar police in seizing illegal substances. [26265]
§ Mr. David DavisI have nothing further to add to the remarks made by my right hon. Friend the Member for Eddisbury, except to add my own congratulations to the splendid achievements of the members of the Royal Gibraltar police. The continued achievements this year are worthy of the highest praise.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current status of the talks under the Brussels process in respect of Gibraltar; and if he will make a statement. [26254]
§ Mr. David DavisThe last ministerial meeting under the Brussels process took place on 20 December 1994. I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer the Minster of State, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Grantham (Mr. Hogg), gave the hon. Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Shersby) on 10 January 1995,Official Report, column 62.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reply the United Kingdom ambassador to Spain has received following his representations on 21 April to the Spanish Foreign Minister about the delays on the Gibraltar-Spain border. [26261]
§ Mr. David DavisNone. I made clear in my oral statement of 17 May,Official Report, columns 300–7, the attitude of the Spanish Government to the delays at the Spain-Gibraltar frontier remains unacceptable.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the oral statement of the Minister of State, the right hon. Member for Eddisbury (Mr. Goodlad), of 20 December,Official Report, column 1533, if it is Her Majesty's Government's 670W policy to abide by the democratically expressed wish of the people of Gibraltar, in respect of their links with the Crown. [26269]
§ Mr. David DavisYes. Our commitment remains firm, as set out in the preamble to the 1969 Gibraltar constitution.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral answer of 20 December 1994,Official Report, column 1535, what response has been received to the request that the Spanish Government substantiate their allegations that Gibraltar is a money laundering centre. [26188]
§ Mr. David DavisNone.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those European directives which the United Kingdom Government have requested the Gibraltar Government to enact in their legislature. [26263]
§ Mr. David DavisAs in any other part of the EU, the Gibraltar Government must implement all applicable EU legislation.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made by the United Kingdom Government to the Spanish Government since 17 May about the delays on the Gibraltar-Spain border; and what replies have been received. [26258]
§ Mr. David DavisMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has made our views clear to the Spanish Foreign Minister.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the oral statement of the Minister of State, the right hon. Member for Eddisbury (Mr. Goodlad), of 20 December,Official Report, column 1532, if he will detail the protests previously made by Her Majesty's Government to Spain about border controls and delays. [26266]
§ Mr. David DavisOn 1 December 1994, I summoned the Spanish ambassador to express our strong concern at the intrusive and disruptive checks in question; and made clear that they should cease. We also repeatedly and vigorously protested at the highest levels to the Spanish authorities on other occasions.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has in his discussions and communications with the Chief Minister of Gibraltar, intimated circumstances where the United Kingdom Government might suspend the Gibraltar constitution or dismiss the Gibraltar Government. [26253]
§ Mr. David DavisNo.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the legislation, other than that derived from European directives, which the United Kingdom Government have requested the Gibraltar Government to enact in their legislature; and if he will detail the reason in each case. [26262]
§ Mr. David DavisWe have asked the Government of Gibraltar to enact a number of pieces of legislation relating to good government and fulfilling the UK's international obligations.
671W
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 20 December 1994,Official Report, column 1535, what response has been received to the request that the Spanish Government substantiate their allegation that the co-operation of Gibraltar has been refused in respect of combating money laundering. [26189]
§ Mr. David DavisNone. We have asked the Spaniards twice since then at trilateral talks with Gibraltar, and have received no response.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the oral statement of the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Boothferry, (Mr. Davis), of 17 May,Official Report, column 307, what response has been received in respect of United Kingdom protests at the delays on the Gibraltar-Spain border from (a) the Schengen states, (b) the European Commission, (c) the Schengen secretariat and (d) the Schengen presidency. [26256]
§ Mr. David DavisWe cannot provide details of confidential discussions; but we are confident that our concerns are fully understood by all those to whom we have spoken.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what quantity of illegal substances has been seized by the Royal Gibraltar police in each of the past two years. [26264]
§ Mr. David DavisIn 1993, approximately 1.5 tonnes were seized or found. In 1994, over 2 tonnes were seized or found.