asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union for March, and to list major EU events for the next six months.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is now their estimate of the total number of refugees and displaced people in each of the following countries: Zaire, Burundi, Uganda, Tanzania and Sudan.

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) currently estimates the numbers of refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs) in Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda and Zaire to be as follows. Up to date figures for Sudan are currently unavailable—I will write to the noble Lord if I receive further information.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their latest estimate of the humanitarian needs of refugees in Zaire, including the situation in Tingi Tingi, where the United Nations estimates that 55 per cent. of the under fives may already have died; and, in view of the statement of principle last November by the Secretary of State for Defence (House of Commons, 14 November, col. 488) on the United Kingdom's responsibility to assist, what is now their policy on United Nations intervention.

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) estimate they have access to 200,000 refugees in Zaire, including those in the Tingi Tingi camps. UNHCR confirm there are adequate supplies in the region to meet the refugees' basic needs. The problems are security and access.UNHCR and other implementing agencies have agreed that humanitarian access should be negotiated and cannot be imposed. We support this view. We continue to closely monitor the situation and remain prepared to provide further help as urgent needs arise.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What discussions they have had with the United Nations, the European Union, the Commonwealth and African States on the way to achieve a regional political settlement in the Great Lakes Region of Africa and what progress they have to report.

We strongly supported the recent appointment of UN/OAU Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Mohamed Sahnoun, who has been entrusted with preparing for a Conference on Peace, Stability and Development in the Great Lakes under UN/OAU auspices. We strongly supported UN Security Council Resolution 1097 of 18 February endorsing the recent five-point peace plan for eastern Zaire. We also contributed to and support the EU Presidential declaration of 19 February and the General Affairs Council conclusions on the region of 23 February. We continue to be in close contact with regional leaders as they seek to tackle the problems of eastern Zaire and Burundi. We welcome the recent visit of regional Foreign Ministers to Kinshasa and the start of talks between the parties in South Africa.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What discussions they have had with the United States Government on the subject of NATO expansion, and specifically whether the United States Secretary of State's suggestion that expansion be accelerated is compatible: (a) with the United Kingdom's and other European states' parliamentary procedures; (b) with the advice they are receiving on the implications of accelerated expansion for the international arms control regime, for stability in Eastern and Central Europe, and in Russia; and (c) with the arrangements being developed for the WEU, and for the EU in the IGC.

We maintain close contact with the United States Government on NATO enlargement. We share the United States' Secretary of State's hope that accession negotiations with those countries that are invited at the Madrid Summit will proceed quickly and smoothly. These negotiations will have no direct effect on other international business or the European Union Intergovernmental Conference. Ratification by national parliaments will proceed according to their individual practices and timetables.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the character and purpose of the charter which the United States Secretary of State proposes should be offered to the Russian Government by NATO; what would be its status within the OSCE and the EU; and whether they agree with President Chirac that an agreement between Russia and NATO needs to be discussed by West European Governments, as well as those of the United States and Russia, to enable it to be concluded before the Madrid NATO summit, and endorsed there.

We are committed to the establishment of a close co-operative relationship between NATO and Russia, which we would be happy to see enshrined in a Charter. The NATO Secretary General is discussing this and other aspects of NATO/Russia relations with the Russian government on behalf of all Allies. Such a Charter would be concluded between NATO and Russia. It would not imply formal obligations for other international bodies, but it would be a document of considerable weight in European security.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the military exercises being held jointly by Israel, Turkey and the United States, which involve the Commander of the United States Sixth Fleet who is also NATO Commander in Chief of Southern Forces, are, through his Commander, associates with NATO, and what are the implications for NATO's evenhandedness in the Turkish/Greek disputes centering on Cyprus and the Aegean, and in the disputes between Israel and Palestine.

The US 6th Fleet may operate as either a national or a NATO force. The fact that the Commander 6th Fleet has separate NATO responsibilities, does not entail an association of the Alliance with activities that are conducted in his national capacity.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What role they see for the United States in promoting democracy in Europe, as proposed by President Clinton in his State of the Union speech and by Secretary of State Albright in testimony before the Senate, and whether they consider a military alliance be a more appropriate tool for this purpose than the European Union.

We welcome the commitment of the United States to promoting democracy throughout the continent of Europe. The US plays a key role in NATO and works closely with the EU in the framework of the New Transatlantic Agenda.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is now to operate a system of spot checks on members' nuclear facilities; whether Israel, as a member of IAEA, is to be included in these spot checks; and if not, why not.

In the context of the IAEA's work to strengthen the effectiveness of its safeguards regime (the so-called "93 plus 2" programme) new measures are being negotiated which would require states to provide the agency with additional information covering all their civil nuclear activities; and allow agency inspectors increased access to nuclear facilities, research and development facilities and industrial sites to check the information provided. Although the list of new measures has not yet been finalised, it is likely to provide IAEA inspectors with access to nuclear sites at short notice; as little as two hours or, in exceptional circumstances, even less.States with comprehensive safeguards agreements with the IAEA will be expected to take on the new measures in full. But Israel does not have such a comprehensive safeguards agreement (although she has placed one research reactor under IAEA safeguards and it is already subject to inspection) and it will, therefore, be for the Israeli Government to decide which, if any, of the new measures to adopt. The UK will encourage states without comprehensive safeguards agreements to take on those "93 plus 2" measures which would strengthen the effectiveness and improve the efficiency of the IAEA's safeguards system.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have discussed, with the Government of Turkey: (a) the delays in bringing to trial the murderers of Mr. Metin Goktepe; (b) the holding of hearings in the town of Afyon, eight hours' travel from Istanbul, where the murder occurred; (c) possible procedural defects in the hearings to date; (d) the allegation that defendant police officers themselves made statements following torture; and (e) allegations by prosecution witnesses that they were beaten while in custody.

Our Embassy in Ankara have raised a number of aspects about the trial in relation to Metin Goktepe's death with the Turkish authorities. These include the delays, the location of the trial, reports that the defendant police officers made statements after being tortured, and the procedures of the State Security Court system.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they sent an observer to the latest session of the trial of 48 police officers charged with the murder of Mr. Metin Goktepe, journalist, held on 6 February 1997 at Afyon, Turkey; and whether they will send an observer to the next session on 11 April at Afyon.

No British official was able to attend the Goktepe trial on 6 February. But we continue to follow this case closely, and we hope to be able to send an observer to attend the next session of the trial on 11 April.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the final outcome of the negotiations to replenish the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and what will be the UK contribution.

I am pleased to report that agreement was reached last week on the Fourth Replenishment of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). With pledges of around $360 million from the developed countries; some $100 million from the oil producers and developing countries together, the release by the developed countries of some $16 million from the Third Replenishment; and anticipated reflows and investment income, IFAD should be able to maintain a very satisfactory level of annual lending commitments over the next three years.The UK's contribution to the Fourth Replenishment will be $22.01 million (£13.6 million), for which parliamentary approval will be sought in due course. In addition, we will release our share—rather less than $1 million—of the funds previously blocked under the Third Replenishment: this is not a new financial commitment, promissory notes for the amount having already been lodged.I am pleased to say that the UK, as Convenor of the OECD Group, the largest of the donor groups, played an influential role in securing agreement on the Fourth Replenishment.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What proposals the Scottish Law Commission has for future law reform projects.

I have recently agreed with the Scottish Law Commission a Fifth Programme of Law Reform. This was presented to Parliament yesterday and is published today. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The new programme, which supersedes the existing four programmes, describes the short, medium and long-term projects on which the Commission will be working between now and the end of 1999. Timetables are set for the short and medium term projects.The centrepiece of the projects in the Fifth Programme is the Commission's work on property, including feudal tenure reform and reform of the law of the tenement. Recommendations on the law of the tenement are expected before the end of 1997 and on feudal tenure reform before the end of 1999. Other matters on which recommendations are expected before the end of 1997 include diligence on the dependence and admiralty arrestments and unjustified enrichment.The Government welcome this programme, which concentrates on a number of important and timely law reform projects. The fixing of priorities and timetables is particularly welcome and will help all of those with an interest in law reform to keep track of and prepare for changes in the law which the Commission might recommend.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will place in the Library a copy of the representations made by the Association of Chief Police Officers concerning the proposal that in certain circumstances the names and addresses of those convicted of sexual offences against children should be made publicly available.

My right honourable friend, with the consent of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), placed copies of the response from ACPO in the Library on 25 February.