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Written Answers
HKB OGI 11
25 JULY 1991
Mr. Douglas Hogg: We shall be submitting proposals to strengthen the existing provisions of the biological weapons convention and to maintain its status as an important international norm against biological and toxin weapons. Central to our policy will be proposals to improve and extend the regime of confidence building measures. to improve organisational arrangements by establishing a supportive body and to examine the feasibility of devising effective verification procedures.
SELPOL
Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. pursuant to his answer of 12 July. Official Report, column 520. on what date he placed in the Library a copy of the updated British data exchanged in accordance with section VII of the protocol on notification and exchange of information to the CFE treaty giving the details of the location of British forces in the United Kingdom and continental Europe.
Mr. Douglas Hogg: The up-dated British data exchanged in accordance with section VII of the CFE treaty protocol was added to the Library following the exchange in February this year.
We have checked with the Library: the papers are available for consultation in the international affairs and defence section.
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 12 July, Official Report, column 520, if he will place in the Library a copy of the updated United States data exchanged in accordance with section VII of the protocol on notification and exchange of information to the CFE treaty giving the details of the location of United States forces in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Douglas Hogg: Some basic data on equipment holdings is contained in the 1991 Statement on the Defence Estimates.
Beyond this it is not our responsibility to publish the CFE data provided by other member states. It is up to individual States to publish their own data.
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has regarding the timetable for ratification of the conventional forces in Europe treaty by other states; and if he will list those countries that have already ratified this treaty.
Mr. Douglas Hogg: Czechoslovakia ratified the CFE treaty on 23 July. Most of our NATO allies hope to be able to ratify during the autumn, as do we. Indications from other CFE signatories so far are that they too intend to ratify before the end of the year.
Mrs. Jamila Sadiq
Mufi
Mr. Madden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the British High Commission in Islamabad sent papers to the Home Office concerning Mrs. Jamila Sadiq (Ref. IMP S767465 (S)) who has applied to join her husband in the United Kingdom: when the post received a request to send a second set of papers concerning her case: and if he will make a
Statement.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd: In accordance with the guidelines on the handling of representations by Members of Parliament
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Written Answers
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in immigration cases, issued to Members on 14 December 1988. I have referred the question to the correspondence unit of the migration and visa department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The hon. Member will receive a reply from the unit as soon as possible.
Co
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Nellist: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many parliamentary questions for written answer have been answered by his Department so far this Session, and in the comparable period for the last Session; and if he will publish a table of how many answers (a) do not give the information requested because of (i) disproportionate cost or (ii) other reasons, (b) give an undertaking to write to the hon. Member who asked the question and c were referred for answer to the chief executive of each next steps agency.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd: Including the aid wing, this Department has answered 1.989 written questions so far this Session. This compares with 2.203 questions for the comparable period in the 1989-90 session. Nine from the current session were referred for answer to next steps chief executives. None was referred during the previous session. The rest of the information requested is not centrally recorded and could only be provided at disproportionate
COSL.
Bank of Credit and Commerce International
Mr. Madden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received from the United Kingdom's overseas posts concerning the administration and activities of any branch of BCCI: and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Garel-Jones: All overseas posts were informed of the action on 5 July by the regulatory authorities in a number of jurisdictions to secure control of the assets of banks in the BCC group. A number of posts have subsequently reported on developments in individual countries. We had reports last year of the indictment of BCCI in Florida on charges of money laundering. We are checking whether we have had reports from posts about other banks in the BCC group prior to 5 July and will write to the hon. Member.
Hong Kong
HED
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people arriving in Hong Kong since 12 July in order to attend the global Chinese student union conference there were refused entry to Hong Kong: what reasons were given for their refusal; and what representations have been achieved about this both in the United Kingdom and in Hong Kong.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd: Fourteen people arriving in Hong Kong since 12 July for the Conference were denied entry to Hong Kong. These decisions are matters for the Hong Kong Government. Few representations have been received about this in Hong Kong, and still fewer here.
G7 Summit
ERA
Mr. Grocott: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total cost to the Exchequer of the G7 summit.