§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list the dates in the last 12 months on which Lord Levy has met the Prime Minister; what the duration was of each meeting; and where the meetings have been held. [145325]
389W
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 15 January 2001]: Lord Levy liaises regularly with me, the Foreign Secretary, and other Ministers in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 20 December 2000,Official Report, column 236W, on Lord Levy, if he will place the texts of the personal messages delivered by Lord Levy on his behalf to (a) President Zedillo, (b) President-Elect Fox, (c) President Chavez, (d) President Batte, (e) President Banizer and (f) President Noboa. [145324]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 15 January 2001]: No. The messages were personal.
§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Prime Minister what plans there are for(a) the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and (b) other ministers to accompany Lord Levy on future trips while acting as his personal envoy. [145261]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 15 January 2001]: None.
§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Prime Minister if Lord Levy has(a) security protection and (b) a personal bodyguard provided by Her Majesty's Government while travelling as his personal envoy in (i) Israel and (ii) Latin America. [145267]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 15 January 2001]: When travelling as my personal envoy, Lord Levy receives the level of security protection considered necessary in the country he is visiting.
§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 20 December 2000,Official Report, column 238W, concerning messages carried by Lord Levy, for what reason such messages could not be carried by Ministers and diplomats. [145274]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 15 January 2001]: The purpose of asking Lord Levy to convey such messages as my personal envoy was to signal my personal interest in our relations with the countries. He was accompanied throughout by our ambassadors to the countries concerned and by a Foreign and Commonwealth Office official.
§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Prime Minister what definition he uses of personal envoy, in relation to the work of Lord Levy. [145266]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 15 January 2001]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to her right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr.Maude) on 30 March 2000, Official Report, column 246W.
§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 20 December 2000,Official Report, column 236W, (1) what his policy is on the payment of travel expenses by Lord Levy while travelling as his personal envoy; [145273]
(2) for what reason Lord Levy did not claim travel expenses in respect of his visit to South America. [145271]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answers 15 January 2001]: Lord Levy has always paid his own travel expenses when travelling as my personal envoy.
390W
§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 20 December 2000,Official Report, column 236W, if Lord Levy's visit to the middle east over the Christmas period was made in his capacity as his personal envoy. [145270]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 15 January 2001]: Lord Levy visited Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Jordan from 5–9 January as my personal envoy.
§ Mr. RuffleyTo ask the Prime Minister with whom Lord Levy had(a) scheduled and (b) unscheduled meetings in his role as personal envoy during his most recent visit to the middle east. [145859]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 16 January 2001]: Lord Levy met a range of senior figures, including Prime Minister Barak in Israel, President Arafat in the Palestinian Authority, and Prime Minister Ali Abul Ragheb in Jordan. He had no unscheduled meetings.
§ Mr. RuffleyTo ask the Prime Minister what statements were issued by each British embassy in(a) the South American countries and (b) middle eastern countries which Lord Levy visited, for each visit he has made there. [145860]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 16 January 2001]: In general Embassies do not issue formal statements when Lord Levy visits, but provide factual information to inquiries.
§ Mr. RuffleyTo ask the Prime Minister what the cost to public funds was of Lord Levy's most recent visit to the middle east; what contribution to the costs was made by Lord Levy; what the purpose was of his visit; what access Lord Levy has to non-confidential Government information; and from which officials Lord Levy has received briefings on the middle east. [145858]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 16 January 2001]: Lord Levy's most recent visit as my personal envoy was to Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Jordan from 5–9 January. The FCO and Embassies provided practical support, the cost of which is not separately itemised. This included accommodation, briefing, assistance in arranging programmes, and accompanied transport by road. Lord Levy paid his own travel costs to and from the region. The purpose of the visit was to exchange views on regional issues, in particular the middle east peace process. Lord Levy received briefings from appropriate Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials. A Foreign and Commonwealth Office official accompanied Lord Levy.
§ Mr. RuffleyTo ask the Prime Minister on which occasions during Lord Levy's most recent visit to the middle east he(a) made public statements and (b) talked to foreign media, as a representative of (i) the Prime Minister and (ii) the United Kingdom. [145857]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 16 January 2001]: None.
§ Mr. RuffleyTo ask the Prime Minister what engagements Lord Levy has undertaken on his behalf in the middle east in(a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99, (c) 1999–2000 and(d)2000–01. [145856]
391W
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 16 January 2001]: I refer to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Lewes (Mr. Baker) on 1 November 2000, Official Report, column 510W.
Since then, Lord Levy has made one trip to the middle east as my personal envoy, visiting Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Jordan from 5 to 9 January 2001.
§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Prime Minister what(a) scheduled and (b) unscheduled meetings Lord Levy had with the media during his visit to South America. [146620]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 22 January 2001]: Lord Levy answered questions from the local media on a number of occasions.
§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Prime Minister what steps he has taken to ensure that there are no conflicts of interest between Lord Levy's business interests and his mission as an envoy for his Department in the middle east. [146496]
§ The Prime MinisterI am satisfied that there is no such conflict of interest. Lord Levy has no business interests in the middle east.
§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Prime Minister what(a) scheduled and (b) unscheduled meetings Lord Levy had with the media during his visit to the middle east in (i) December 2000 and (ii) January of this year. [146495]
§ The Prime MinisterLord Levy did not visit the middle east in December 2000. He had no meetings with the media during his visit from 5–9 January.