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Сорий Colonial
4 Copees
Secretariat
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Oral Answers
14 MARCH 1969
1025
to find how a number of my hen. Friends were conned into misleading the House by the opinion they gave on numerous occasions-that if only America would stop the bombing peace would ensue?
Mr. Whitlock : have nothing to say on the subject of conning, but we have no reason to think that Madame Binh's views are different from those made public by her delegation in Paris after each session of talks, or for that matter during her last visit here, and I assume that while here she will be repeating them at the rally which she is to address.
Hong Kong
6. Mr. Rankin asked the Secretary State for Foreign and Commonwealt Affairs if he is aware that there afe 2,000 vacant primary school places and 50,000 residents in Hong Kong's Wong- .tauhum Resettlement Estate; and Af he will direct the Hong Kong Government to set up an inquiry into the reasons for these empty classrooms with a view to remedying the cause.
Mr. Whitlock: There are some 2,500 vacant primary school plages in this estate, all but 79 of these occurring in private schools. A detailed survey of children not attending /school is in
progress.
Mr. Rankin: Would/my hon. Friend agree that this number of vacant school places, wherever it is, is a very serious problem? Would he agree that it arises basically from a low level of wage pay- ments in Hong Kong and also from the lack of a compulsory education system? Will he get in touch with the Governor to discuss these matters to see what solu- tion can be found?
Mr. Whitlock: An explanation of these vacancies is complicated by the fact that there is an attendance of several thou- sand Wongtauhum children at primary schools elsewhere and by the occupation of many places in the estate schools by other children from neighbouring districts. The Vacancy figures reflect the attraction of free places and low fees in Govern- ment and subsidised schools. If the survey indicates the need for more such places, remedial action will be taken at
Once.
7. Mr. Rankin asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth
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Affairs if he will advise the Hong Kong Government on the measures needed to establish a family assistance scheme aimed at encouraging parents to send their children to school.
Mr. Whitlock: As already announced in the Colony's Legislative Council, the Hong Kong Government are drawing up proposals for a comprehensive organised public assistance scheme, one aim of which will be to ensure that no child is deprived by financial hardship of the opportunity to go to primary school.
Mr. Rankin: Is my hon. Friend aware that all of us interested in Hong Kong welcome this and will encourage the Government to still further good deeds? Mr. Whitlock: I thank my hon. Friend.
"Suez Canal
8. Sir J. Langford-Holt asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Con monwealth Affairs what steps he as taken to ensure that the Security Council Resolution tabled by the United Kingdom delegate on the Middle East and freedom of passage of the ships of all nations in peace and in war through the Suez Canal is observed when the/Canal is opened.
tinuing to do all we can to bring about Mr. Goronwy Roberts: We are con-
Security Council Resolution of 22nd a settlement in accordance with the November, 1967, which affirms the neces- sity for guaranteeing freedom of naviga- the Middle East area. tion through international waterways in
Sir J. Langford/Holt: Will the hon. Gentleman reaffirm that Her Majesty's Government regard the withdrawal to the armistice lines/and the acceptance of these frontiers as two propositions which are quite indițisible so far às this Resolu- tion is concerned?
Mr. Roberts: We are in favour of the earliest possible implementation by agreement of the whole of the Resolution, which contains the original points made by the hon. Member and the one he has just mentioned.
Mr. Alan Lee Williams: Does my h hon. Friend agree that if the Egyptians do not shortly open the canal it will become
wasting asset? Already 59 British shipa--
24 mauch 1969.
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