142
Written Answers
15 NOVEMBER 1978 rangements between the Governments of ong Kong and China regarding the ques- bo of illegal immigration to Hong Kong.
Mr. Luard: Would-be illegal immi- fants detained while trying to enter Hong long are returned to China unless there re exceptional reasons for allowing them
remain in the territory.
Mr. Parry asked the Secretary of State or Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs ow many illegal immigrants to Hong Kong have been repatriated to China in ach of the past five years.
Mr. Luard: Repatriation was reintro- Juced on 30th November 1974, since when he numbers repatriated have been:
1974
1975
1976
1977
1973 (To 31st October
223 1,133
810
1,779 5,045
Mr. Parry asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the agreement between the Hong Kong and Chinese Governments on legal immigration to Hong Kong on an annual basis.
Mr. Luard: There is no agreement on the anual number of immigrants from China. However, the Chinese authorities are aware of our concern at the present level of immigration.
Mr. Parry asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many legal immigrants have entered Hong Kong from China in each of the past five years.
Mr. Luard: The number of legal immi- grants entering Hong Kong from China in each year since 1973 is:
1973
1974
1975
1975
1977
1978 (to 31st October)
55.659
32.918
25.641 20.453
26,449 50,249
Mr. Parry asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the estimated number of illegal immigrants to enter Hong Kong from China in each of the past five years to the latest available date.
2 P 5
:
Written Answers
236
Mr. Luard: It is impossible to give precise or even estimated figures for the annual number of illegal immigrants into Hong Kong from China. A very rough estimate is that since the beginning of 1974 there have been about 52,000.
St. Lucia
Mr. George Cunningham asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Com- monwealth Affairs why h. has not insisted on the operation of the referendum pro- visions in the West Indies Act 1967 before taking steps to terminate the association between St. Lucia and the United King- dom.
Mr. Rowlands: Section 10(2) of the West Indies Act provides for the termin- ation of association by Order in Council without a referendum. The British Gov- ernment are considering the request of the St. Lucia Government which was approved on 24th October by the St. Lucia House of Assembly without a divi- sion to terminate the status of association by this procedure.
Mr. George Cunningham asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Com- monwealth Affairs what date has been proposed to him by the Government of St. Lucia for the independence of that State; and what consultation, if any, he has had on the date with the official opposition in St. Lucia.
Mr. Rowlands: The Premier of St. Lucia has proposed that St. Lucia should move to independence by Order in Coun- cil on 13th December. The British Government have made it clear to the Premier and to the St. Lucia Opposition that they are considering whether to recommend to Parliament that association should be terminated and that meanwhile no commitment can be made on a date for independence.
Mr. George Cunningham asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Com- monwealth Affairs whether, in view of the contents of the document “Report on events subsequent to the St. Lucia con- stitutional conference held in London in. July 1978" prepared by the St. Lucia Labour Party, he will make a statement on the proceedings in the St. Lucia Parlia- ment on the draft St. Lucia Constitution Order.
HKK 341/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 2 O NOV 1978
INDEX
K OFFICER
PA
REG-4 KY
Action Ten
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