§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will place in the Library the legal advice referred to in paragraph 31, page 9 of the National Audit Office report, "Aid to Indonesia", which satisfied the Government that all the projects referred to were within the terms of the Overseas Development and Co-operation Act 1980; [10716]
(2) if he will place in the Library a copy of the legal advice received by his Department in relation to the regional physical planning programme for transmigration, the national overview of land resources and the regional physical map improvement and training projects in Indonesia to the effect that (a) the projects were not unlawful under the terms of the Overseas Development and Co-operation Act 1980 and (b) the projects were not unlawful under international law. [10720]
§ Dr. Liam FoxI will write to the hon. Member.
§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what United Kingdom goods were purchased by the Indonesian authorities in relation to the national police management training project. [10705]
§ Dr. FoxGoods purchased in connection with the project were limited to training materials, such as books, and were funded by the ODA from the project budget.
§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to paragraph 36 of the National Audit Office report, "Aid to Indonesia", if he will place in the Library the legal advice to the effect that he does not recognise the primacy of international law. [10713]
§ Dr. FoxThe reference in paragraph 36 of the report to non-recognition of the primacy of international law was incorrectly attributed to legal advice given to the Overseas Development Administration. No such advice was given. Unfortunately, this was overlooked when the draft text was checked for factual accuracy.
§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library copies of(a) the project completion reports in relation to (i) the radio studios rehabilitation project and (ii) the regional physical map improvement and training project in Indonesia and (b) the project monitoring reports in relation to the regional physical map improvement and training project in Indonesia. [10710]
§ Dr. FoxCopies of the project completion reports for the radio studios rehabilitation and regional physical map improvement projects were placed in the Libraries of both
206WHouses in November and October 1995 respectively. I will write to the hon. Member about the request for disclosure of internal project monitoring reports.
§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the developmental benefits of the radio studios rehabilitation project in Indonesia; what assessment he has made of the independence of Radio Republic Indonesia from the Indonesian Government; and what proportion of the output of Radio Republic Indonesia is educational. [10718]
§ Dr. FoxThe developmental benefits of the project were seen to be the improvement of broadcasting standards and the enhancement of a primary means of communication and education, particularly for rural communities, in a country whose population is very widely dispersed.
The benefits of the project were not considered to be dependent upon the status of Radio Republic Indonesia, which is a state-owned corporation reporting to the directorate general of radio, television and film in the Ministry of Information.
The most recent data—March 1996—indicate that educational programmes account for 17 per cent. of broadcasting time, with news and information and culture and entertainment account for 25 and 43 per cent. respectively. Specific target groups include schools, farmers and women. There is also an open university service.
§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library copies of the project monitoring reports in relation to the police management training projects in Indonesia. [10704]
§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library(a) the evidence available to his Department on the observance of human rights in Indonesia, referred to in the National Audit Office report, "Aid to Indonesia," which prompted his Department to decide to continue to provide aid to Indonesia, (b) the advice given by the embassy in Jakarta, referred to in the report, relating to the human rights situation in Indonesia and (c) a copy of the project memorandum agreed with Indonesia. [10714]
§ Dr. FoxThe Overseas Development Administration receives continuing information and advice from the embassy in Jakarta, from the diplomatic wing of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and from external sources about the human rights situation in Indonesia. I will write to the hon. Member about the request for disclosure of internal correspondence.
Subject to the agreement of the Indonesian Government, which is being sought, I will place in the Library copies of the project memoranda relating to the national police management training project.
§ Mr. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reasons his Department excluded(a) references to human rights from the project memorandum agreed with Indonesia regarding the national police management training project and
207W(b) human rights issues in the proposed training programme; and at what level within his Department that decision was taken. [10753]
§ Dr. FoxAlthough human rights issues were not referred to specifically in the project memorandum or included in the training programme, one of the wider objectives of the project was to promote the concept of a community-based approach to policing, as practised in the United Kingdom, which emphasises the need for police and community to work together and respect for the rights of the individual.
Approval for the project was given by the head of the Overseas Development Administration's eastern Asia department, prior approval in principle having been obtained from Ministers.
§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reasons his Department decided not to support the third phase of the national police management training project in Indonesia. [10712]
§ Dr. FoxWhen the case for a further phase of assistance was considered in mid-1994, the view was taken, in view of the substantial assistance already provided to the police, that a one-year extension of the second phase, to 31 March 1996, would be sufficient to consolidate the assistance already provided and to secure the anticipated benefits of the project.
§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library copies of the audience surveys used by his Department to appraise and evaluate the shortwave radio transmitters project and the radio studios rehabilitation project in Indonesia. [10721]
§ Dr. FoxNone was conducted. The appraisals concentrated on technical competencies, broadcasting standards, programme content and the likely size and types of audience. Given the diverse and widely-dispersed nature of radio audiences, it is unlikely that worthwhile audience surveys could have been conducted in the time available for appraisal.
§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what dates his Department decided to(a) change the emphasis of phase 1 of the national police management training project in Indonesia from the training at Bramshill police college to in-country training in Indonesia, (b) let the contract for in-country training to a consultancy firm comprising former Bramshill staff; and what was the name of the consultancy firm. [10706]
§ Dr. FoxThe change of approach to delivery of police management training was explored at a meeting of officials in November 1985. The decision to proceed with a programme of in-country training was taken in August 1986 and a contract was awarded, initially to Bramshill staff college, in June 1987. A new contract was awarded in 1989 to consultants Johnston and Ladd International when one of the two consultants, both of whom had been closely involved in the development of the Bramshill programme, retired from the police service.
§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the National Audit Office report, "Aid to Indonesia", what are the
208Wstrategic plans produced by the Indonesian police forces internal consultancy unit developed under the national police management training project; and if the 45 regional commanders expected to implement the plans include the regional commander for East Timor. [10711]
§ Dr. FoxThe strategic plans have been produced by the Indonesian police authorities on the basis of training provided under the national police management training project. The plans deal with levels of service to the public and with development of standards required to achieve them. It is not certain whether plans have yet been produced for all of the 45 regional commands, including the command covering East Timor, but we understand that the intention is to do so.