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Written
[ 13 OCTOBER 1981 ]
achve. It is dangerous ground merely to change th Atle of the Bill if it is not going to change the attitude of the Government.
I cannot do any more from these Benches than try to persuade the Government to listen and to withdraw this reference to nationality from the Long Title because I feel that it will lead to misunderstanding. If they are not going to do anything about it, I shall not press the matter. It would be petty to do so, having made the point. I have not been alone in making it. There was support earlier today from all over the House. The noble Lord dismissed this as déja vu. To say that is highly dangerous when Hansard comes to be read by people overseas. It is an unhappy and unfortunate end, because it exposes the Govern- ment's attitude towards people who are perhaps the most loyal of all: The people in these territories who are most affected and who wish to have British nationality. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.
Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
Written Answers
GURKHAS: REPORTING OF PREGNANCIES
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether it is true that an order applies to Gurkha battalions that "any family, failing to report a pregnancy during the first three months, will be sent back to Nepal 60 days after the birth of the child. Such families will never be allowed back into family lines. Severe disciplinary action will be taken against the soldier "; whether such an order applies to English troops stationed in Hong Kong, and in how many cases in the last three calendar years respec- tively Gurkha families have been sent back to Nepal, and what disciplinary action was taken in each case against the soldier.
The Earl of Avon: An order of the kind described was issued temporarily in 1978, by one Gurkha unit serving in Hong Kong, to encourage the earlier reporting of pregnancies amongst Gurkha families. This was intended to overcome welfare and accommodation problems arising as a result of delays in making pregnancies known in time. The unit order did not represent the policy of the Ministry of Defence and was not put into effect. It has not been in existence for several years and will not be repeated. No family was sent back to Nepal as a result of it and no disciplinary action was taken against any soldier.
No such order applies to any British Army family stationed in Hong Kong.
HMS GLASGOW": COLLISION WITH SOVIET CRUISER
Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:
What are the geographical co-ordinates of the spot in the Barents Sea where a Soviet missile cruiser collided with HMS "Glasgow " in May.
Answers
366
The Minister of State for Defence Procurement (Viscount Trenchard): 69° 36.5′ North,34° 20.6′ East.
YEOWART'S COACHES
Lord Underhill asked Her Majesty's Government:
Why the Secretary of State for Transport decided to allow the appeal of Yeowart's Coaches against a refusal of the Northern Traffic Commissioners to grant them a licence to run a new bus service around Whitehaven, although the inspector whom he appointed to conduct an inquiry had recommended that the appeal be dismissed.
The Earl of Avon: My right honourable friend's reasons for allowing the appeal by Yeowart's Coaches were given in the decision letter issued on 3rd August 1981, a copy of which has been placed in the Library. I am sending a copy to the noble Lord.
Lord Underhill asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Secretary of State for Transport, in 'deciding to allow the appeal of Yeowart's Coaches against the refusal of the Northern Traffic Com- missioners to grant a licence for a new bus service around Whitehaven, took into consideration that the Cumberland Motor Services runs other bus services on uneconomic routes and whether Yeowart's Coaches have been given a condition also to operate any service on an uneconomic route or to run a service at unpopular times.
The Earl of Avon: My right honourable friend in reaching his decision took into account all the evidence which was before the Traffic Commissioners, which included evidence about the routes run by Cumberland Motor Services.
The Transport Act 1980 requires that a licence, if granted, be granted in accordance with the application except to the extent that to do so would be against the interests of the public; in pursuance of this, no conditions were imposed upon the licence granted to Yeowart's Coaches other than those applied to road service licences generally.
LIGHTRAY LIMITED
Lord Underhill asked Her Majesty's Government:
Why the Secretary of State for Transport decided to allow the appeal of Lightray Limited against a refusal of London Transport Executive to grant an agreement to run a bus service although the inspector whom he appointed to conduct an inquiry had recommended that the appeal be dismissed.
The Earl of Avon: My right honourable friend's reasons for deciding to allow the appeal of Lightray Limited were given in the decision letter issued on 27th July 1981, a copy of which has been placed in the Library. I am sending a copy to the noble Lord.