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Written Answers
21 JANUARY 1969
appear to make a visit by any member of the Royal Family to the Falkland Islands unlikely.
42. Mr. Roebuck asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the per capita income per annum of the Falkland Islanders ; and how this compares with United Kingdom incomes.
Mr. Whitlock: An economic sur- vey of the Falkland Islands carried out in 1967 suggests an average income per head of the population in the year 1965 of £503. For the same year the United Kingdom figure was £526.
43. Mr. Roebuck asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the rates of Income Tax in the Falkland Islands; and how these compare with United Kingdom rates.
Mr. Whitlock: Since the reply is rather long, I will, with permission, cir- culate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
Following is the reply :
The Falkland Islands Income Tax rates for individuals extend from 1s. to 5s. 9d. with the higher rate applying to the slice of in- come over £6,000. Companies are liable to Income Tax at 5s. 9d. Profits Tax is levied on the profits of trades and businesses at the rate of 1s. 6d. for individuals and 2s. for companies, this is not charged at all until profits exceed £2,000 and there is an abate- ment where these are between £2,000 and £12,000.
I gave the detailed Income Tax Rates to
on the 30th of April 1968.
Written Answers
140 AK.
74
Mr. Whitlock: Full details are not yet available but it is expected that the total cost to United Kingdom public funds will be about £81,000. Of this £79,000 repre- sents expenditure normally falling upon the host Government. The remainder is Britain's share of the extra cost to the Commonwealth Secretariat attributable to the Meeting. This is met by all Com- monwealth countries in agreed propor- tions.
Members of Parliament of all parties were invited to Government functions during the Meeting.
Hong Kong (Convicted Persons)
Mr. Heffer asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the circumstances in which 73-year-old Mr. Li Chung-kun and 78- year-old Mr. Ma Ching-lung were arrested in Hong Kong; what were the charges preferred against them and the lengths of their sentences; and whether, in view of their age, he will arrange for a remission to permit their release.
Mr. Whitlock: The names given do not exactly correspond with any to be found in the Hong Kong records, but the following information is believed to be relevant.
A Mr. Li Chung-Kwan aged 71 was one of twenty-three persons found in resi- dential premises suspected to be an opera- tional centre for terrorism. These pre- mises contained propaganda posters, a
my hon. Friend the Member for Heeley large number of choppers, sharpened
The United Kingdom rate is 4s. at the lowest band on taxable incomes and (in- cluding surtax) is 18s. 3d. on the highest band. Surtax begins to apply at £2,000 of unearned income but not until £5,001 on earned in- come; the highest rate cannot apply until the total income exceeds £15,000.-[Vol. 763, c. 169.]
Commonwealth Conference
44. Sir W. Teeling asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total cost to United Kingdom public funds of the Common- wealth Conference and how far individual countries contributed; and what steps were taken by Her Majesty's Government to enable Members of Parliament other than members of the Government party to meet Ministers and others from the Com- monwealth.
9 II 1
piping, 2,000 empty bottles and corro- sive acid. Most persons found were sen- tenced to 21-months imprisonment; Mr. Li was sentenced to 12 months for being found in premises containing offensive weapons. He was released in April 1968 after receiving normal remission.
A Mr. Ma Kam-Lung aged 78 was convicted in August 1967 for possession of offensive weapons, possession of in- flammatory posters, forming part of an intimidating assembly and obstructing a Police Officer. At the time of the border incidents in 1967 Mr. Ma ran a rice shop in a market town near the frontier at which he displayed many inflammatory posters and broadcast incitement to make trouble. Although other shops stopped similar activities after warnings by the Police, he persisted and turned his shop
DATE 21 JON 69 COL 74 75
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