271
Written Answers
7 AUGUST 1980
Mr. Parry asked the Lord Privy Seal what system of arbitration exists for dealing with disputes in Hong Kong in (a) the public sector and (b) the private
sector.
Mr. Douglas Hurd: (a) In the public sector, an agreement between the Gov- ernment and the three main Civil Service staff associations in 1968 provides for the referral of disputes over such matters as pay, allowances, hours of work etc. to a committee of inquiry appointed by the Governor.
(b) The Labour Relations Ordinance provides the legal framework for dealing with disputes in the private sector. This empowers the Commissioner for Labour to appoint conciliation officers to initiate or undertake conciliation. If no settle- ment of the dispute is reached, the Com- missioner may recommend that the Gov- ernment in Council refer the matter to arbitration or to a board of inquiry.
༈
Mr. Parry asked the Lord Privy Seal if he is satisfied with the Government machinery for dealing with disputes af- fecting Government employees in Hong Kong.
Mr. Hard: Yes.
Mr. Parry asked the Lord Privy Seal If he is satisfied with the use of Civil Service regulation 611 and the letters patent in dealing with disputes of Hong Kong civil servants.
Mr. Hurd: The question of the appli- cability of these instruments for this pur- pose is at present before the Court of Appeal. It would therefore not be ap- propriate for me to comment.
British Broadcasting Service (World Service)
Mr. Greville Janner asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will ensure that audibility of the British Broadcasting Corporation world service to United Kingdom listeners will not be reduced by any changes in the transmitters; and whether he will make a statement about the improvement of reception of the British Broadcasting Corporation world service to the rest of the United Kingdom.
Written Answers
21 273
Mr. Ridley: The BBC World Service is expec is intended for overseas listeners. Tb when di fact that parts of the United Kingdo1 Commu have been able to receive it is an accide The tal by-product of the transmission. I al meet on advised that the BBC's plans to instal mission new transmitters to improve audibilit price ri overseas may reduce reception in th United Kingdom, but that the precis meeting exchang effects cannot be evaluated at this stage. Fund,
Zimbabwe (Cecil Rhodes Statue)
beginnin
also ex
Mr. Michael Hamilton asked the Lor discuss Privy Seal if he will seek to acquire from Commu the Zambabwean Government the bronz mission may be sited in Salisbury, England. statue of Cecil Rhodes in order that thi
The I
on 23 S 1981 D
Mr. Luce: No. We understand that th statue is to be placed in the museum The housing the Zimbabwe national archives meet on
EUROPEAN COMMUNITY
Council of Ministers
in Octo Commo
clude a allocati
The
Mr. Knox asked the Lord Privy Sea' meet o if he will publish in the Official Repo 20-21 ( a statement of forthcoming business in th siderati European Community Council of Min access
isters.
butter. discuss
discussi pected ing the sider a alcohol
under
Sir Ian Gilmour: No meetings of th Council of Ministers are planned fo Supplies August, and at present 10 meetings d
implem the Council are scheduled for Septemberangem and October. The usual written forecas
cultural was deposited in the House on 4 Augus! cohol.
organis The Foreign Affairs Council is expecte The to meet on 15 September to discuss th negotiation of a co-operation agreemen with the countries of the Andean Pact a formal review of the working of the Community's 1975 co-operation agree ment with Israel; a negotiating mandat for Zimbabwe's accession to the Lom Convention; the Community's position it international discussions on commodities such as cocoa and tin; progress in the accession negotiation with Portugal and Spain; pre-accession aid for Portugal: the draft right of establishment directive for architects; and export quotas for ferrous scrap. The Council is also ex pected to discuss further the implementa tion of the agreement of 30 May on the United Kingdom's budget contribution and to approve the draft regulation of the non-quota section of the European regional development fund. The Council
tive,
pi porarily perman and ta travelle
Mr. Seal w on Her
the red the Eu addition
the
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