419
Written Answers
Written Answers
420
1 MARCH 1976
Great Britain in February 1976; and on what grounds.
revenue to cover the costs of planning and land acquisition. A further £500 mil- lion is being raised, through local and overseas borrowings and export credits to cover the cost of construction. No further contributions from general revenue are planned.
Mr. Costain asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what direct employment_the_con- struction of the Mass Transit Railway will bring to the people of Hong Kong.
Mr. Ennals: It is estimated that con- struction of the modified initial system of the Mass Transit Railway will pro- vide direct employment for about 4,500 people in Hong Kong.
Passports
Mr. Churchill asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British subjects on re- entering the United Kingdom in the course of the first three weeks of February 1976 had their passports removed; and how many have since been returned.
Mr. Rowlands: 53 mercenaries sur- rendered their passports on returning to this country of which nine have been given back. The number of passports withdrawn from British subjects patriated at public expense during February is not yet known.
re-
Mr. Churchill asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what grounds and by what authority passports of returning British subjects have been withdrawn in the course of the first three weeks of February; and what conditions have been imposed for their return.
Mr. Rowlands: I would refer the hon. Member to the answers given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of 24th February to the hon. Member for Hales- owen and Stourbridge (Mr. Stokes) and the hon. Member for Hampstead (Mr. Finsberg).[Vol. 906, c. 134-55.]
Mrs. Knight asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many passports were con- fiscated from British citizens returning to
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Mr. Rowlands: 53 mercenaries sur- rendered their passports on returning to this country. The number of passports withdrawn from persons repatriated at public expense during February is not yet known. The list of categories of persons to whom passports are refused or from whom they may be withdrawn, given to the House on 15th November 1974, included: in very rare cases, a person whose past or proposed activities are so demonstrably undesirable that the grant or continued enjoyment of passport facili ties would be contrary to the public interest; and a person repatriated at public expense, until the debt has been repaid.
Overseas Students
Mr. Colin Jackson asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will initiate an immedi- ate consultation with other Common- wealth Governments to assess the future scale and pattern of demand for places in United Kingdom universities and fur- ther educational establishments for stud- ents from their countries, and assist Her Majesty's Government to decide to what extent and on what principles the demand should be met.
Mr. Ennals: No. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science is already reviewing the question of Overacas students in the United Kingdom.
Rhodesia
Mr. Goodhew asked the S cretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what protection from external attack Her Majesty's Government are able to afford Southern Rhodesia as a part of Her Majesty's Dominions.
Sir Frederic Bennett asked the Secre- tary of State for Foreign and Common- wealth Affairs what protection from external attack Her Majesty's Govern ment are prepared to afford Southern Rhodesia as a part of Her Majesty's Dominions.
Mr. Ennals: None, in the absence of a return to legality in the administration of the territory.
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