Zimbabwe

Answer: Yes, my Lords, I can ensure that the Government will do their utmost to ensure that the loopholes are minimised. It is extraordinary that such loopholes exist, but they do. The EU Zimbabwe travel ban contains standard exemptions that enable travel to the EU by banned Zimbabweans in a few, narrowly defined cases. We do our utmost to ensure that they are narrowly defined, because to see people such as Grace Mugabe stomping up and down the streets of the Côte d’Azur is an affront to humanity.

This is an answer to the Oral question asked on Monday, 8 January 2007 by Lord Elton (Conservative).

Question: My Lords, under the sanctions as they have operated in the past, we have become accustomed to hearing of people on the stop list being in other European countries and their presence being explained by the fact that they are attending some exempt conference or other. When the sanctions are rolled over, can the Minister undertake that the Government will attempt to close as many of the loopholes as possible, to prevent the ludicrous situation suggested by the noble Lord, Lord Kinnock, just a moment ago, developing?

Secondary information