41
HKK 243/1.
10ADD 1978
Written Answers
5 APRIL 1978
135
him on his 35 visits overseas, their salaries and allowances; and whether these latter £gures were included in the costs of the visit as stated in the original reply.
Mr. Luard: The costs given in the reply to my hon. Friend's original Ques- tica of 17th March were those incurred
speciacally in connection with my right hen. Friend's overseas visits. They therefore included subsistence allowances for each official member of the party based on the local cost of living, but did not include salaries.
To supply further detailed information about the designation, rank, figures for salaries and allowances would require a disproportionate expenditure of time and
COSL
Hong Kong (Vietnamese Refugees)
59. Sir Anthony Royle asked the Secre- tary of State for Foreign and Common- wealth Añairs when he expects to com- plete the discussions which have been continuing since the 20th January 1978 and reach a decision regarding the pos- sibility of accepting a number of Viet- namese refugees at present in Hong Kong into the United Kingdom.
Mr. Luard: I expect the discussions to be concluded shortly. The decision, of course, is for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Depart-
ment.
Ethiopia
Mr. Trotter asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has now obtained the detailed report on alleged mercenaries in Addis Ababa as described in The Times news- paper which he advised the House that he had called for, Official Report, col. 1490; whether he has decided to make representations to the Ethiopian Govern- ment; and whether he will make a state-
m200
Dr. Owen: I have discussed the situa-
tion in Ethiopia with Her Majesty's Am- bassador, who is in London for consulta- tions. I received the Ethiopian Ambas- sador in London at his request yesterday. I reiterated to the Ethiopian Ambassador what I bad said to the Deputy Foreign Minister on 18th January: that I consider the human rights situation in Ethiopia to be e
matter of serious concern. The
20 K 22
Written Answers
136
Ethiopian Government are therefore fully aware of the strength of feeling in this country on this subject.
Immigration (Indian Sub-continent) Mr. Grocott asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the average waiting time for (a) husbands, and (b) male fiances from the Indian sub-continent requiring entry permits.
Mr. Luard: Details showing the pericd waited by applicants interviewed on 28th February are shown in the following table:
Husbands months
Fiancés months
New Delhi Bombay
5
6
15
15
Islamabad
171
174
13
174
21
Karachi Dacca
* Dacca received only three applications from fiancés during the last 12 months.
TRANSPORT
British Railways
3. Mr. Aitken asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he next plans to meet the Chairman of the British Rail- ways Board.
37. Mr. Durant asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he next proposes to meet the Chairman of British Railways.
Mr. William Rodgers: I refer the hon. Members to my answer earlier today to the hon. Member for Carshalton (Mr. Forman.)
National Freight Corporation
9. Mr. Gow asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is his latest esti- mate of the profit/loss to be made by the National Freight Corporation during the current financial year.
Mr. Horan : Although it is too early for any detailed estimates, the National Freight Corporation is expecting the im- provement in its trading results to con- tinue in 1978.
Metrication
Mr. Mates asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to issue his consultation document on the planned change-over from miles to kilometres.
INDEX
PA
DATE
5/4/25
COL. ....ASU.
VOL.
447
abspies
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