I
301
Written Answers
18 JUNE 1982
Written Answers
*rector General of Fair Trading has the statutory duty of eeping under review, and advising my right hon. and ble Friend from time to time on, the working of the Act. He would be interested in details of any problems that have arisen in connection with section 75.
Trades Description Act 1968 (Airline Bookings)
Mr. McCrindle asked the Minister for Trade if he will introduce legislation amending section 14 of the Trades Description Act 1968 so that if confirmation of an airline booking has been received through a travel agent there is an absolute liability on the airline to provide space on the flight booked; and if he will make a statement.
Dr. Vaughan [pursuant to the reply, 17 June 1982, c. 314]: As made clear on 22 January in the debate on the Trade Descriptions (Amendment) Bill, we have no plans at present to amend section 14 of the 1968 Act.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
HKG
Falkland Islands
RECEIVED IN REGISTY
State for
Mr. Arthur Lewis asked the Secretary Foreign and CommonweaUA982 whether he has received the communication from the hon. Membet for
SK OFFICER. Newham, North West together with a documentFalkland Islands Facts, A Brief History of the Sovereighty-Issue"; and whether he will publish a similar type of document for world circulation...
961
Mr. Onslow: My right hon. Friend has received the communication from the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Lewis), together with the document referred to, published by the Falkland Islands Office. We have already published two documents on the Falkland Islands, entitled "The Falkland Islands and Dependencies" and "The Falkland Islands-The Facts"; many thousands of copies of these have been distributed in several languages throughout the world. The two Government publications between them contain most of the historical facts included in the document issued by the Falkland Islands Office and we do not at present propose to publish another similar document.
Mr. Montgomery asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Government is carrying out any negotiations on sovereignty of British dependencies other than the Falkland Islands.
Mr. Onslow: We are not at present carrying out negotiations on British sovereignty over any dependent territories.
Overseas Dependencies
Mr. Hicks asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list United Kingdom overseas dependencies and give their areas and populations; and whether any specific international or local arrangements apply in each particular case.
Mr. Onslow: The remaining dependent territories, their areas and approximate populations are as follows:
185
DATE
18:6:82 cot-361-362
VOL.
25
Anguilla Bermuda
British Antartic Territory
British Indian Ocean Territory
British Virgin Islands
Cayman Islands
Falkland Islands and Dependencies Gibraltar
Hong Kong
Montserrat
Pitcairn Group of Islands
St. Helena and Dependencies
Turks and Caicos Islands
* No indigenous population.
362
28
Area (Sq. Miles)
Population
35
7,000
20.5
$5,000
700,000
NIP*
23
NIP*
59
11,000
100
17,000
6,300
1,800
2.25
29,800
404
5,150,000
39
12,100
18
54
125
6,500
192
7,500
As to the second part of the question, if my hon. Friend can be more specific I shall be pleased to try to obtain the necessary information.
Argentine (Imprisoned Journalists)
Miss Fookes asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will ensure that before the repatriation of Argentine prisoners of war arrange- ments will be made with the Argentine Government to release British journalists currently in custody.
Mr. Onslow: We have already asked the Swiss embassy in Buenos Aires to express to the Argentine Government our expectations that, in the context of our willingness to begin repatriating prisoners as soon as possible, the three British correspondents who are being held by the Argentines will now be released,
EMPLOYMENT
Manpower Services Commission
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is satisfied that the head office of the Manpower Services Commission at Sheffield is effectively run and the correct number of employees for the work involved are in post; and whether he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Morrison: I have nothing to add to my reply to a similar question from my hon. Friend the Member for Huntingdonshire (Mr. Major) on 16 June 1982.-[Vol. 25, c. 273-74.]
Wages Councils
Mr. Montgomery asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the Government plans to abolish any more wages councils.
Mr. Tebbit: The wages council system is kept under scrutiny and we are ready to abolish individual councils where the need for them no longer exists, but there are at present no plans to abolish particular councils.
Homeworking Advisory Committee
Miss Joan Lestor asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he intends to reconvene the homeworking advisory committee in order to review what further action may be needed to protect homeworkers.