393
Written Answers
United Nations Centre for Human Rights
30 NOVEMBER 1993
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many fax machines the United Nations Centre for Human Rights has.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: The United Nations office in Geneva operates a central fax system, with hourly distributions. The Centre for Human Rights has one fax machine of its own.
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what view he has formed about the adequacy of the resources available to the United Nations Centre for Human Rights.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: We regard human rights as a priority of the United Nations. The resources now available to the Centre for Human Rights do not allow it to carry out all the tasks mandated to it. We support the efforts of the United Nations Secretary-General to increase substantially the resources available to the centre from within existing and future regular budgets, through redeployment from areas of lower priority.
Matrix Churchill
Mr. Robert Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what provision is made in the recent compensation claim made through his Department by MC Realisation--Matrix Churchill to the United Nations to include money to compensate the ex-employees of Matrix Churchill.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: Price Waterhouse acting as administrative receivers has submitted a claim to the United Nations Compensation Commission on behalf of MC Realisations (Birmingham) Ltd.-in receivership- formerly Matrix Churchill Ltd. However, we cannot divulge the content of this or any other of the claims submitted. Requests for information on the substance of the claim should be addressed to Price Waterhouse.
Sudan
Mrs. Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he proposes to take over the persecution of Christians for their faith in Sudan.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: We have made clear to the Sudanese Government, both bilaterally and with other member states of the European Union, our growing concern at their record on human rights and their lack of respect for fundamental freedoms, freedom of religion among them. We were active at the last session of the United Nations General Assembly and the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in highlighting the situation in Sudan, and in particular in securing the appointment of a public rapporteur. The rapporteur has now issued an interim report, and hopes to visit Sudan again shortly.
Ascension Island
Dr. Marek: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to safeguard the numbers of sea birds on Ascension Island.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: The programme of feral cat culling has been enhanced by the setting of more traps. The
204 CW61/4 Job 1-8
Written Answers
394
success rate has been good. Since January this year up to the end of October, 269 cats had been culled. The administrator has installed a barrier at the entrance to the breeding grounds to prevent access by vehicles. This has substantially reduced the risk of damage to eggs by people walking near to nesting sites. We shall keep the situation under review.
BBC World Service
Mr. Alfred Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff the BBC World Service had (a) in 1991-92 and (b) 1992-93; and how many it has at present.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: In 1991-92 the total staff complement of the BBC World Service, including BBC Monitoring, was 2,826. The equivalent figure for 1992-93 was 2,941. At the end of September 1993 there was a total of 2,920 staff.
Mr. Alfred Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many hours of programmes to (a) Africa and (b) Europe the BBC World Service broadcast in (i) 1991-92 and (ii) 1992-93; and how many hours will be broadcast in 1993-94.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: The information requested is as follows:
1991-92
hours
1992-93 hours
1993-94
hours
Sub-Saharan Africa Europe
13,500
13,850
21,550
22,060
14,310 23,240
Each regional total includes broadcast figures for World Service in English.
Mr. Alfred Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to increase funding for the BBC World Service.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: Plans for future funding of the BBC World Service will be disclosed in due course.
Mr. Alfred Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the transmission hours of the BBC World Service (a) in 1991-92 and (b) 1992-93; and what will be the transmission hours in 1993-94.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: In 1991-92, World Service's total transmitted hours were 42,436, and in 1992-93, 43,797. The estimate for 1993-94 is 45,220. These figures do not include programme material not directly broadcast but sent via satellite, on disc or on cassette, to be available for local rebroadcasting.
There is also a significant amount of local rebroadcasting from direct transmissions. Figures for these are: 1991-92, 2,895 hours; 1992-93, 15,527 hours; and the estimate for 1993-94 is 18,700 hours.
Mr. Alfred Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his most recent estimate of the number of people living outside the United Kingdom who listen to BBC World Service broadcasts.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: Latest estimates by the BBC World Service, based on audience research, indicate that