Written Statement of 1 March 2004

DEFENCE

  Reserve Forces Call-out Order
  The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Mr. Ivor Caplin)
  A new call-out order has been made under Section 56 of the Reserve forces Act 1996 so that reservists may continue to be called out to support operations in Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The order will take effect from 1 March 2004, the date the previous order expires. There are no plans to call-out reservists compulsorily under this order as it is expected that the small numbers needed will be met through volunteers for service in those countries.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Falkland Islands
  The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Bill Rammell)
  I made a statement to this House on airlinks between the Falklands and Argentina,Official Report, 19 January 2004, 51WS. I would like to report on developments since then.

  I travelled to Argentina on 16–17 February on a pre-planned bilateral visit. I held talks on a wide range of international, regional and bilateral issues. The question of airlinks featured in my talks with the Argentine Foreign Minister, Dr Rafael Bielsa. The talks were frank and constructive and we made some progress. Some proposals were discussed which we each agreed to look at further. These proposals primarily focused on temporary arrangements for charter flights for 2004. I made it clear that any arrangements would need to be acceptable to the Falkland Islanders.

  Regrettably, shortly following my visit, an article appeared in an Argentine newspaper, giving details of my talks and wrongly asserting that a deal on airlinks had been agreed. As I have indicated, this was not the case.
  74WS
  I spoke subsequently to Falkland Councillors. They concluded that the proposals for temporary arrangements did not meet their concerns. However, they agreed that we should continue to discuss the issue with the Argentine Government with a view to securing a permanent solution to the question of charter flights rather than having further temporary arrangements.

  We are now taking this forward with the Argentine Government, with the full agreement of Councillors. I will keep the House informed of progress.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Afghanistan
  The Secretary of State for International Development (Hilary Benn)
  Afghanistan remains a high priority for the Government. A lot has been achieved during the past two years. Around 3 million refugees have been helped to return to Afghanistan. Improvements have been made in education, with more than 4 million children back at school. Some 37 per cent. of pupils are now girls, up from 5 per cent. in 2001. Some 12 million children have been immunised against polio and 16 million against measles since 2002, saving 30,000 lives. Women are increasingly taking part in politics and the new constitution guarantees women 25 per cent. of seats at the new parliament and equal rights and duties before the law. But there are still challenges ahead.

  As part of the UK's continuing commitment to Afghanistan I will be announcing, at the donor conference taking place in Berlin on 31 March and 1 April, an increase in our assistance to at least £500 million over five years. This represents an increase of 150 per cent. on our original commitment for the reconstruction of Afghanistan made in Tokyo in January 2002 to provide £200 million over these five years (the financial years 2002/03–2006/07). So far we have provided £110.5 million of this. This new pledge will include at least £75 million a year for reconstruction, plus assistance for counter-narcotics and conflict prevention.

  One of the major challenges Afghanistan faces is security, particularly in the south and east of the country, and the need to tackle the drugs trade. The UK is working to support the Afghan police and helping to build a new Afghan National Army. We are also assisting with the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration of former combatants. Our new financial commitment will help to address all these issues.

  Northern Ireland: Recent Developments
  The Lord President of the Council (Baroness Amos)
  My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has made the following Ministerial Statement.

  On Friday 20 February the Police Service of Northern Ireland made a number of arrests in connection with an alleged assault and abduction. The case is sub judice.

  Four people now face serious charges, including grievous bodily harm, possession of articles likely to be of use to terrorists and unlawful imprisonment. The PSNI are following a number of very definite evidential lines, including video material and the items, clothing and other forensic material recovered at the scene. The Chief Constable of the PSNI has made clear to me that he is satisfied that there was Provisional IRA involvement in the incident.

  These events are a matter of serious concern. As far as the overall situation is concerned, my assessment of the various paramilitary organisations' ceasefires, in the light of information I have received, remains unchanged. But all the indications are that there has been a serious breach of the requirement set out by the British and Irish Governments in paragraph 13 of the Joint Declaration for an end to all forms of paramilitary activity.

  Such behaviour is wholly unacceptable. As the Government have repeatedly made clear, parties cannot be half-in, half-out of the democratic process. All paramilitary activity must stop.

  These developments have inevitably had a serious impact on this week's discussions with the Northern Ireland political parties within the review of the operation of the Belfast agreement. At those meetings, we listened carefully to the views of the parties and, in particular, to their concerns about the implications of these events for the establishment of the trust and confidence required to achieve a successful outcome to the review and to restore devolved government in Northern Ireland.

  Both Governments are now asking the Independent Monitoring Commission, which was established in January, to examine Friday's incident in the context of the preparation of its first report on paramilitary activity. We have also asked the commission to bring that report forward from July to May. The report is expected to take account of all paramilitary incidents and activities within its remit since the commission's establishment. The commission is obliged by law not to do anything in carrying out its functions that might have a prejudicial effect on any legal proceedings.

  Both the British and Irish Governments are very clear that the achievement of a sustainable basis for
  WS 42
  political progress in Northern Ireland requires a full and permanent cessation of all paramilitary activity. As part of the wider agenda of the review, it is vital that we intensify engagement with the parties on this core issue, and we envisage that next week there will be a significant focus on it.

  Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order: Review
  Baroness Amos
  My right honourable friend the Minister of State for Northern Ireland has made the following Ministerial Statement.

  A review of the Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 and the accompanying codes of practice is being undertaken by officials in the Northern Ireland Office.

  The review, which aims to bring the existing PACE legislation and the codes of practice in Northern Ireland into line with that in England and Wales, will adopt much of the new or amended legislation and revisions to the codes of practice introduced by the Home Office as a result of their fundamental review of PACE in 2002.

  It is my intention to issue a draft Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order and associated codes of practice for consultation in autumn 2004 with the aim of them becoming operational by summer 2005.

  Council of Europe and Western European Union: Information Bulletin
  Baroness Amos
  My right honourable friend the Prime Minister has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

  The Prime Minister has placed in the Library today the latest information bulletin on the activities of the United Kingdom delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Assembly of Western European Union covering the period November 2002 to October 2003.

  Afghanistan Pledge
  Baroness Amos
  My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for International Development has made the following Written Ministerial Statement today.

  Afghanistan remains a high priority for the Government. A lot has been achieved during the past two years. Around 3 million refugees have been helped to return to Afghanistan. Improvements have been made in education, with more than 4 million children back at school. Thirty seven per cent of pupils are now girls, up from 5 per cent in 2001. Twelve million children have been immunized against polio and 16 million against measles since 2002, saving 30,000 lives. Women are increasingly taking part in politics and the

  WS 43
  new constitution guarantees women 25 per cent of seats at the new parliament and equal rights and duties before the law. But there are still challenges ahead.

  As part of the UK's continuing commitment to Afghanistan I will be announcing, at the donor conference taking place in Berlin on 31 March and 1 April an increase in our assistance to at least £500 million over five years. This represents an increase of 150 per cent on our original commitment for the reconstruction of Afghanistan made in Tokyo in January 2002 to provide £200 million over these five years (the financial years 2002–03 to 2006–07). So far we have provided £110.5 million of this. This new pledge will include at least £75 million a year for reconstruction, plus assistance for counter-narcotics and conflict prevention.

  One of the major challenges Afghanistan faces is security, particularly in the south and east of the country, and the need to tackle the drugs trade. The UK is working to support the Afghan police and helping to build a new Afghan national army. We are also assisting with the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration of former combatants. Our new financial commitment will help to address all these issues.

  Falkland Islands: Airlinks
  The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean)
  I made a Statement to this House on 19 January on airlinks between the Falklands and Argentina (Official Report col.WS39). I would like to report on developments since then.

  My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr Rammell) travelled to Argentina on 16 to 17 February on a preplanned bilateral visit. He held talks on a wide range of international, regional and bilateral issues. The question of airlinks featured in talks with the Argentine Foreign Minister, Dr Rafael Bielsa. The talks were frank and constructive and they made some progress. Some proposals were discussed which they each agreed to look at further. These proposals primarily focussed on temporary arrangements for charter flights for 2004. Mr Rammell made clear that any arrangements would need to be acceptable to the Falkland Islanders.

  Regrettably, shortly following the visit, an article appeared in an Argentine newspaper, giving details of the talks and wrongly asserting that a "deal" on airlinks had been agreed. As Mr Rammell has indicated, this was not the case.

  Mr Rammell spoke subsequently to Falkland Councillors. They concluded that the proposals for temporary arrangements did not meet their concerns. However, they agreed that we should continue to discuss the issue with the Argentine Government with a view to securing a permanent solution to the question of charter flights rather than having further temporary arrangements.
  WS 44
  We are now taking this forward with the Argentine Government, with the full agreement of councillors. I will keep the House informed of progress.

  European Union: Forthcoming Council Business
  Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
  The forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union is as follows:

  Date

  Location

  Event

  March

  1–2

  Cork

  ASEM Finance Deputies' Meeting

  2

  Brussels

  Environment Council

  3

  Brussels

  COREPER 1

  3

  Brussels

  COREPER 2

  4–6

  Co. Clare

  Youth Ministerial Conference

  4–5

  Brussels

  Employment, Social Policy, Health & Consumer Affairs (Ministerial Informal)

  8

  Brussels

  Meeting of Eurogroup

  8–9

  Ankara

  EU Ministerial Troika with Turkey

  8–9

  Brussels

  Transport, Telecom & Energy Council

  9

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  10

  Brussels

  COREPER 2

  10

  Brussels

  COREPER 1

  11

  Dublin

  EU/Russia Ministerial Meeting (Troika)

  12

  Brussels

  COREPER 1

  17

  Brussels

  COREPER 1

  18

  Brussels

  COREPER 2

  18

  Ottawa

  EU Canada Summit (Troika)

  18–19

  Dublin

  OECD Ministers Conference

  19

  Brussels

  COREPER 1

  22

  Brussels

  Agriculture & Fisheries Council

  22–23

  Brussels

  General Affairs & External Relations (GAERC)

  24

  Brussels

  COREPER 1

  24

  Brussels

  COREPER 2

  24–25

  Brussels

  Meeting of the Economic and Financial Committee

  25–26

  Brussels

  EUROPEAN COUNCIL

  30

  Dublin

  EU/Ukraine Ministerial Meeting (Troika)

  30

  Brussels

  Justice & Home Affairs (Ministerial Informal)

  31

  Brussels

  COREPER 1

  April

  2

  Punchestown

  Meeting of Eurogroup

  2–3

  Punchestown

  ECOFIN

  7–8

  Co. Wicklow

  Ministerial Conference on Communicating Europe

  16–17

  Tullamore

  GYMNICH

  17

  Co. Kildare

  ASEM Foreign Ministers Meeting

  26–27

  Brussels

  General Affairs & External Relations (GAERC)

  26–27

  Brussels

  Agriculture & Fisheries Council

  27

  Luxembourg

  EU/Russia Permanent Partnership Council (Troika?)

  29–30

  Brussels

  Meeting of the Economic and Financial Committee

  29–30

  Brussels

  Justice & Home Affairs (Ministerial Informal)

  WS 45

  Date

  Location

  Event

  May

  6–7

  Dublin

  EuroMed Foreign Ministers

  7

  Limerick

  Meeting of Ministers with responsibility for Equality

  9–11

  Killarney

  Agriculture Informal Ministerial Meeting

  10

  Brussels

  Meeting of Eurogroup

  11

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  11–12

  Cork

  Health Ministers Consultative Meeting

  14–16

  Waterford

  Informal Meeting of EU Environment Ministers

  17–18

  Brussels

  General Affairs & External Relations (GAERC)

  19–20

  Offaly

  Informal Budget Committee

  21

  Moscow

  EU/Russia Summit (Troika)

  23–25

  Brussels

  Agriculture & Fisheries Council

  24–25

  Brussels

  Meeting of the Economic and Financial Committee

  24–25

  Brussels

  Agriculture & Fisheries Council

  25–27

  Co. Galway

  Conference on Islands and Territorial cohesion—Meeting New Challenges

  27–28

  Brussels

  Education, Youth & Culture Council

  27–31

  Dublin

  Ministers and Directors General of Public Administration

  28

  Guadalajara

  EU-Latin America/Caribbean Summit

  June

  1–2

  Luxembourg

  Health Council

  1

  Dublin

  Development Ministers' Meeting

  1

  Luxembourg

  Meeting of Eurogroup

  2

  Luxembourg

  ECOFIN

  8

  Luxembourg

  Justice & Home Affairs Council Meeting

  10–11

  Luxembourg

  Transport, Telecom & Energy Council

  14–15

  Luxembourg

  General Affairs & External Relations (GAERC)

  17–18

  Brussels

  EUROPEAN COUNCIL

  21–22

  Luxembourg

  Agriculture & Fisheries Council

  21–22

  Brussels

  Meeting of the Economic and Financial Committee

  28–29

  Luxembourg

  Council Meeting of EU Environment Ministers

  July

  1

  Brussels

  COREPER 2

  2–3

  Maastricht

  Competitiveness (Informal)

  7

  Brussels

  COREPER 1

  7–8

  Brussels

  COREPER 2

  8

  tbc

  EU-Ukraine Summit

  8–10

  Maastricht

  Social Policy (Informal)

  9–10

  Amsterdam

  Transport (Informal)

  12–13

  Brussels

  General Affairs & External Relations (GAERC)

  12–14

  Rotterdam

  Informal Ministerial Education Youth and Culture

  14

  Brussels

  COREPER 1

  15

  Brussels

  COREPER 2

  16–18

  Maastricht

  Environment (Informal)

  19

  Brussels

  JHA Council

  19

  Brussels

  Agricultural and Fisheries Council

  22

  Brussels

  COREPER 2

  23

  Brussels

  COREPER 1

  August

  No meetings planned

  Reserve Forces Call-out Order
  The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Bach)
  My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Ivor Caplin) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

  A new call-out order has been made under Section 56 of the Reserve Forces Act 1996 so that Reservists may continue to be called out to support operations in Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The order will take effect from 1 March 2004, the date the previous order expires. There are no plans to call out Reservists compulsorily under this order as it is expected that the small numbers needed will be met through volunteers for service in those countries.

  British Forces in the Gulf: Free Packet Service
  Lord Bach
  My right honourable friend the Minister of State for Defence (Mr Adam Ingram) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

  On 17 April 2003, with the generous support of the Royal Mail Group, the Ministry of Defence introduced a free postal service to enable families to post packets up to 2 kg free of charge to BFPO addresses in the Gulf. The provision of a free packet service recognised the difficult conditions personnel were operating in and that it was not possible to provide the full spectrum of welfare support normally available to personnel on operations. While southern Iraq is not yet a benign environment, the level of welfare support and the facilities available on Operation TELIC are now comparable to those provided in other operational theatres.

  It has therefore been decided that from 8 April 2004 with the handover of 20 Armoured Brigade to 1 Mechanised Brigade this free service will cease. This date should allow for any Easter gifts to be sent under the free service.

  In common with other operations, personnel in Iraq are provided with free forces air letters and their electronic counterparts ("Blueys" and "eblueys") in addition to free Internet access and free 20-minute phone calls each week. Families may also send packets up to 2 kg in weight to personnel in the Gulf at a concessionary rate—the equivalent of the UK inland first class postal rate. The NAAFI/Expeditionary Forces Institute also sells through its outlets in theatre many of the small consumable items that families were previously sending to personnel and this has lead to a significant decline in the demand for the free packet service.

  Olympic Games 2012: London Bid
  The Minister of State, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (Lord Rooker)
  My right honourable friend the First Secretary of State and Deputy Prime Minister has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
  WS 47
  London's bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games is focused on the Olympic Park in the lower Lea Valley. The London Development Agency submitted an outline planning application for the park and four ancillary applications to the Joint Planning Authorities Team (representing Newham, Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest London boroughs) on 30 January 2004. Decisions on these, and any subsequent applications, are matters for the local authorities concerned. However, it is possible that decisions in relation to these applications could fall to be determined by me as First Secretary of State (either on appeal or if applications were to be called in). I and other Ministers in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have other policy responsibilities, including the delivery of development and regeneration in the Thames Gateway and the role that the London Olympics bid might play in achieving these objectives. In order to ensure that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Guidance on Propriety Issues in the Handling of Planning Casework is followed, I have decided that any planning decisions arising for the First Secretary of State in respect of development related to the Olympics bid will be dealt with by my honourable friend the Member for Pontefract and Castleford. She will not be involved in any other matters relating to the Olympics bid.

  Civil Defence Grant
  Lord Bassam of Brighton
  My right honourable friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office has made the following Written Ministerial Statement today.

  The aggregate of civil defence grants to be made for the financial year 2004–05 is £19,038,000. £100,000 will be retained as discretionary grant for special projects and special events deemed of benefit to the wider civil protection community in England and Wales. The remaining £18,938,000 will be allocated to individual authorities as set out below.

  Local Authority

  Grant Allocation 2004–05 (£)

  Anglesey/Ynys Mon

  61,342

  Barking & Dagenham

  75,969

  Barnet

  80,694

  Barnsley

  76,076

  Bath & North East Somerset

  90,011

  Bedfordshire

  136,511

  Bexley

  78,758

  Birmingham

  187,380

  Blackburn with Darwen

  70,658

  Blackpool

  66,662

  Blaenau Gwent

  63,083

  Bolton

  82,674

  Bournemouth

  70,122

  Bracknell Forest

  63,899

  Bradford

  125,756

  Brent

  86,592

  Bridgend

  68,323

  Brighton & Hove

  81,172

  Bristol

  98,486

  Bromley

  84,980

  Buckinghamshire

  200,557

  Bury

  71,195

  Caerphilly

  73,088

  Calderdale

  74,574

  WS 48

  Local Authority

  Grant Allocation 2004–05 (£)

  Cambridgeshire

  163,057

  Camden

  84,175

  Cardiff

  87,322

  Carmarthenshire

  73,858

  Ceredigion

  64,143

  Cheshire

  189,969

  Conwy

  64,811

  Cornwall

  189,279

  Corporation of London

  60,145

  Coventry

  77,776

  Croydon

  90,666

  Cumbria

  216,116

  Darlington

  63,899

  Denbighshire

  71,434

  Derby

  76,503

  Derbyshire

  220,459

  Devon

  217,294

  Doncaster

  85,516

  Dorset

  175,886

  Dudley

  82,908

  Durham

  213,601

  Ealing

  90,344

  East Riding of Yorkshire

  72,166

  East Sussex

  208,288

  Enfield

  88,198

  Essex

  315,112

  Flintshire

  77,741

  Gateshead

  79,140

  Gloucestershire

  189,960

  Greater Manchester FCDA

  64,060

  Greenwich

  86,482

  Gwynedd

  67,698

  Hackney

  88,145

  Hatton

  68,137

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  76,719

  Hampshire

  298,996

  Haringey

  85,624

  Harrow

  65,726

  Hartlepool

  64,650

  Havering

  77,685

  Herefordshire

  70,229

  Hertfordshire

  310,886

  Hillingdon

  81,386

  Hounslow

  80,742

  Hull (Kingston upon Hull)

  72,265

  Isle of Wight

  72,230

  Isles of Scilly

  53,708

  Islington

  83,424

  Kensington and Chelsea

  74,788

  Kent

  339,586

  Kingston upon Thames

  67,654

  Kirklees

  95,431

  Knowsley

  74,359

  Lambeth

  87,789

  Lancashire

  315,233

  Leeds

  172,987

  Leicester

  88,896

  Leicestershire

  192,957

  Lewisham

  83,978

  Lincolnshire

  212,793

  Liverpool

  97,648

  London FEPA

  151,825

  Luton

  59,894

  Manchester

  147,667

  Medway

  81,547

  Merseyside FCDA

  73,332

  Merthyr Tydfil

  60,998

  Merton

  72,053

  Middlesbrough

  71,355

  Milton Keynes

  81,404

  Monmouthshire

  62,154

  Neath Port Talbot

  70,259

  Newcastle Upon Tyne

  102,823

  Newham

  88,226

  WS 49

  Local Authority

  Grant Allocation 2004–05 (£)

  Newport

  68,616

  Norfolk

  276,813

  North East Lincolnshire

  71,624

  North Lincolnshire

  69,532

  North Somerset

  71,248

  North Tyneside

  74,091

  North Yorkshire

  244,523

  Northamptonshire

  239,260

  Northumberland

  188,122

  Nottingham

  86,321

  Nottinghamshire

  210,927

  Oldham

  79,294

  Oxfordshire

  202,459

  Pembrokeshire

  66,735

  Peterborough

  72,214

  Plymouth

  81,708

  Poole

  66,635

  Portsmouth

  74,467

  Powys

  85,886

  Reading

  67,386

  Redbridge

  82,566

  Redcar and Cleveland

  69,693

  Rhondda Cynon Taff

  82,319

  Richmond upon Thames

  69,424

  Rochdale

  77,310

  Rotherham

  81,654

  Rutland

  56,443

  Salford

  72,386

  Sandwell

  88,413

  Sefton

  84,015

  Sheffield

  96,386

  Shropshire

  153,834

  Slough

  68,566

  Solihull

  73,716

  Somerset

  164,359

  South Gloucestershire

  76,183

  South Tyneside

  71,516

  South Yorkshire FCDA

  84,356

  Southampton

  77,470

  Southend

  71,966

  Southwark

  77,343

  St Helens

  73,333

  Staffordshire

  226,842

  Stockport

  79,992

  Stockton-on-Tees

  73,877

  Stoke-on-Trent

  74,413

  Suffolk

  221,786

  Sunderland

  101,107

  Surrey

  297,388

  Sutton

  73,126

  Swansea

  78,933

  WS 50

  Local Authority

  Grant Allocation 2004–05 (£)

  Swindon

  71,355

  Tameside

  77,310

  Telford and Wrekin

  72,385

  Thurrock

  68,666

  Torbay

  67,440

  Torfaen

  64,876

  Tower Hamlets

  93,509

  Trafford

  75,754

  Tyne & Wear FCDA

  34,892

  Vale of Glamorgan

  72,385

  Wakefield

  86,667

  Walsall

  83,639

  Waltham Forest

  83,532

  Wandsworth

  79,155

  Warrington

  72,804

  Warwickshire

  181,722

  West Berkshire

  67,815

  West Midlands FCDA

  60,386

  West Sussex

  225,386

  West Yorkshire FCDA

  61,593

  Westminster

  86,804

  Wigan

  84,497

  Wiltshire

  194,786

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  66,796

  Wirral

  89,861

  Wokingham

  66,525

  Wolverhampton

  82,030

  Worcestershire

  186,835

  Wrexham

  72,926

  York

  72,220

  To determine the individual allocations the following formula was adopted:

  Each authority received £53,000. Each county council received £12,000 in respect of each shire district within the authority's boundaries. These flat-rate payments accounted for approximately 65 per cent of the aggregate grant in recognition of the fact that every authority, regardless of size and population, would incur similar unavoidable costs in conducting the basic civil protection function.

  The remaining 35 per cent of the aggregate grant was distributed according to the Bellwin threshold, using population size as a proxy for the scale of the civil protection that authorities need to undertake.

  This formula is retained by agreement with the Local Government Association.