§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Prime Minister what authority he has given Lord Levy in his capacity as his personal envoy to meet and deal with senior civil servants in the UK. [113507]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 7 March 2000]Access to civil servants is determined by the Secretary of State of the Department in question.
§ Mr. MaudeTo ask the Prime Minister what representations he made to the Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office about Lord Levy's role as the Prime Minister's personal envoy. [113365]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 8 March 2000]My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I have of course discussed the outcome of the meetings Lord Levy has held.
§ Mr. MaudeTo ask the Prime Minister when he asked Lord Levy to become his personal envoy to the Middle East. [113567]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 8 March 2000]I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Lewes (Mr. Baker) on 22 February 2000,Official Report, column 852W.
§ Mr. MaudeTo ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 22 February 2000,Official Report, column 852W, which senior officials and which Ministers Lord Levy met during each of his visits. [113930]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 10 March 2000]Lord Levy has met a range of senior figures during his visits, including President Assad of Syria, King Abdullah of Jordan, the Sultan of Oman, the Amir of Qatar, the Amir of Bahrain, Prime Minister Al-Hoss of Lebanon, Prime Minister Barak of Israel, Foreign Minister Moussa and Presidential Adviser Al-Baz of Egypt, President Ben Ali of Tunisia and King Mohammed VI of Morocco.
§ Mr. MaudeTo ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 22 February 2000,Official Report, column 852W, on which occasions Lord Levy has stayed in British Government accommodation while carrying out official business on behalf of the Prime Minister during his visits to Israel and the Middle East. [113928]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 10 March 2000]In connection with his work on my behalf, Lord Levy has stayed in the Ambassador's residence in Syria, Jordan, Oman and Qatar, and (since my answer of 22 February 2000,Official Report, column 852W) in Tunisia and Morocco. He has stayed at the Ambassador's residence in Israel once, when accompanying my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary as part of my right hon. Friend's delegation.
246W
§ Mr. MaudeTo ask the Prime Minister what restrictions there are on persons conducting party political business while acting as the Prime Minister's personal envoy on business overseas. [114592]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 15 March 2000]Lord Levy conducts no Labour Party political business in the Middle East or North Africa on his visits as my personal envoy.
§ Mr. MaudeTo ask the Prime Minister if Lord Levy has conducted business on his behalf while on personal visits to Middle Eastern states other than Israel. [114681]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 15 March 2000]No. Since April 1999 Lord Levy has conducted business on my behalf in the Middle East only during the visits referred to in my answer of 22 February 2000,Official Report, column 852W, and during his recent visit to Tunisia and Morocco.
§ Mr. MaudeTo ask the Prime Minister what account he took of the business interests of Lord Levy in deciding whether to appoint Lord Levy as his personal envoy. [114591]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 15 March 2000]Lord Levy has no business interests in the Middle East or North Africa.
§ Mr. MaudeTo ask the Prime Minister what representations or inquiries he has received from Israeli authorities about Lord Levy's role as his personal envoy or otherwise acting on his behalf. [114694]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 15 March 2000]None.
§ Mr. MaudeTo ask the Prime Minister if he will set out the distinction between visits conducted by Lord Levy(a) travelling as the Prime Minister's personal envoy and (b) travelling in his personal capacity while also having discussions on the Prime Minister's behalf. [114690]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 15 March 2000]Lord Levy has been described as my personal envoy when the main purpose of his travel was to pass messages on my behalf. Only his visits to Israel, which have been primarily for private and family reasons, have been described as travel in his personal capacity.