575
Belize:
[LORDS]
The MINISTER of STATE, FOREIGN | and COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (Lord Goronwy-Roberts): My Lords, I am taking steps to get negotiations between the Hong Kong Government and the Shorthand and Audiotypists' Associ- ation reopened.
Lord BROCKWAY: My Lords, though I greatly appreciate that Answer, may I ask my noble friend whether it is not the case that in 1971 there was a very com- mendable equal pay decision between men and women in Hong Kong but that, because these typists do not have one man in their grade, they have not had the advantage of this equal pay proposal? I hope these negotiations will be successful.
Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS:
My
Lords, my noble friend sums up the posi- tion very fairly, and I join with him in a strong hope that at least an interim arrangement will be possible as a result of the new negotiations pending the institu- tion of a regular statutory provision for settling disputes such as this.
Baroness WARD of NORTH TYNE- SIDE: My Lords, how long does the Minister think it will be before this matter is satisfactorily settled?
Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS: My Lords, I trust that the negotiations, which I hope the Hong Kong Government will institute at once, may lead immediately to a number of adjustments. As for the long-term provision for the settlement of disputes across the board throughout the public sector, that might take a little longer, but it will be well worth waiting for because Hong Kong needs it.
BELIZE:
INDEPENDENCE NEGOTIATIONS
2.42 p.m.
Baroness ELLES: My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which, stands in my name on the Order Paper.
The Question was as follows:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the present position with regard to negotiations for the future in- dependence of Belize.
Independence Negotiations
GORONWY-ROBERTS:
576
My
Lord Lords, there were discussions with the Premier of Belize in London on 24th** and 25th January. A copy of the joint Statement issued after the talks has been placed in the Library of the House. Further informal talks with the Guate- malans are envisaged in the near future to find a basis for continuing the negotiations.
Baroness ELLES: My Lords, while I thank the Minister for that reply, I wonder whether he could enlarge on one ог two aspects of these negotiations. First, was any leverage used by Her Majesty's Government with regard to the withdrawal of the defence force from Belize in the event of Mr. Price and his Government not accepting a cession of territory to Guatemala? Secondly, will
over-
the Government confirm that the wishes of the people of Belize and the retention of their territorial integrity are riding principles, beyond those of cession to Guatemala and the withdrawal of the defence force?
Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS. My Lords, I can give an unqualified assurance on both points. First, no such leverage was ever applied; and, secondly, there will be no settlement unless the people and Government of Belize accept it.
Baroness ELLES. My Lords, following that, I wonder whether the Minister will allow me to put one more supplementary question. What kind of guarantees are if, by any chance, there should be a envisaged by Her Majesty's Government
cession of territory to Guatemala in agreement with the people of Belize; and what role do the Government expect the United States to play in conjunction with the Organisation of American States?
Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS: \My Lords, these conditions are looking very far ahead into a most hypothetical future. I think we should rest firmly on what my | right honourable friend the Prime Minister and my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary said in the other place on 24th and 25th; that is, that any agreement which emerges from the con- tinuing negotiations will first have to have the agreement of the people and Government of Belize; then we shall see.