1231
24 MAY 1979
Business of the House
[Mr. Lyon.] as part of the international community, surely the sare should be worked out diplomatically and not related simply to which ships picked up which refugees.
Sir 1. Gilmour: Ideally that is the right approach. I agree that a solution can be : found only on an international basis.
Mr. Hal Miller: Does my right hon. Friend understand the concern in Hong Kong that, whereas an assurance has been given to the Government of Singapore, no such assurance has been given to the Government of Hong Kong about the treatment of people brought there on board ships?
Sir I. Gilmour: Of course I understand the concern of the Government of Hong Kong. They are facing a desperately serious situation. We are anxious to help them, just as we are anxious to help the refugees. But we also have our own problems. As I say, we shall urgently consult them over the next few days.
Mr. Robert Hughes: How many Viet- namese refugees are the Government pre- pared to accept? Can the right hon. Gentleman say by how much the numbers are rising, and what the figure must reach before the principle of sympathy for the refugees is destroyed?
Sir I. Gilmour : I have already told the House how the numbers have risen. I do not think that it would be very helpful for me to pluck some figure out of the air and say that that is the number that we are prepared to admit. As the hon. Mem- ber for York (Mr. Lyon) said, this matter must be decided internationally.
CLERK OF THE HOUSE (RETIREMENT)
3.40 p.m.
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Bu
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time about
tend in o
Business on the House Speakership has added the greatest possible pleasure to privilege. I shall leave the service of the House and my friends with much regret."
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lan- caster and Leader of the House of Com- mons (Mr. Norman St. John-Stevas): I am sure that the House has heard with great regret your announcement this after- noon of the retirement of a most distin- guished servant of the House of Commons,
who has done so much for Members of Parliament, but according to the normal practice, we shall table a motion on which we can express our views more fully on this matter. I suggest that we reserve any comments that we may have until then.
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
3.42 p.m.
Mr. James Callaghan : Will the Leader of the House be gracious enough to in- form us whether there is going to be Budget when we return after the recess?
I am
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancas- ter and Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. Norman St. John-Slevas): always gracious when treated graciously. The business for the first week after the spring bank holiday will be as follows:
MONDAY 11 JUNE-Remaining stag of the Kiribati Bill.
TUESDAY 12 JUNE-My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will open his Budget Statement.
At Seven o'clock, the Chairman of Ways and Means has named opposed private business for consideration.
WEDNESDAY 13 JUNE and THURSDAY 14 JUNE-Continuation of the debate on the Budget.
FRIDAY 15 JUNE-Debate on the CAP
Mr. Speaker: I have a brief statement price proposals for 1978-79, namely,
to make to the House. I have to inform the House that I have received a letter from the Clerk of the House in the fol- lowing terms:
"It is with considerable sorrow that I must tell you that the time has come when I think I ought to retire as Clerk of the House, and that it would seem best if I should do so on July 31 of this year, when I will have spent 20 years at the Table of the House.
"To serve the House is one of the greatest privileges that can be given to anyone in the service of the State. To have served under your
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document 4648/79, Addenda 1, 2, 3, and on EEC documents 4702/79, R/2369/78, R/2462/78 and 5568/79, 5335/79, R/2162/78, together with any relevant addenda, corrigenda and amendments.
MONDAY 18 JUNE-Conclusion of the debate on the Budget Statement.
Mr. Callaghan: I am much obliged to the right hon. Gentleman. In view of the conflicting signals that seem to be emerging from Ministers at the present
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