PS/Lord Privy Seal
HUMAN RIGHTS IN HONG KONG
1.
HKπ 240/2
л
AP5/3
Following the Leader of the House's Business Statement on Thursday 4 March, Mr Robert Parry drew Mr Pym's attention to early day motion 301 on the Vertucci case, and sought a debate on human rights in Hong Kong. Mr Pym replied as in the Hansard extract (Volume 19) below:
Mr. Robert Parry (Liverpool, Scotland Exchange): The Leader of the House will have seen early-day motion 301 concerning human rights in Hong Kong, now supported by 125 Members of this House.
[That this House recognises the merit of the social and community work of Ms Christine Vertucci among the poor, the homeless, and low income groups in Hong Kong and her campaign for health and safety at work; deplores the decision of the Hong Kong Government to expel her from the Colony without giving a cause for its actions; condemns this arbitrary action and violation of human rights; and calls upon the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to reverse that decision in order to prevent democratic, human and civil rights and freedom of speech and justice in the Colony becoming a mockery and a charade.]
Will he at some time arrange a debate on Hong Kong so that we can find out to whom the Hong Kong Government are answerable-whether it is to the Jockey Club, the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank or this Parliament?
Mr. Pym: That matter would be relevant to a foreign affairs debate.
5 March 1982
cc: Private Secretary
PS/Mr Hurd HKGD
BE Bowley
Parliamentary Clerk
S