375
Written Answers
1 JULY 1982
Died to H.F
copie England in a joint review of the England-Wales border in the Dee estuary. The two commissions published draft proposals arising from this review in March.
England-Wales Boundary
Mr. Morgan asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the statutory provisions which contain definitions of the boundary between England and Wales.
Mr. Wyn Roberts: The boundary between England and Wales is defined by the boundaries between English and Welsh counties. These are in turn defined by the boundaries of the parishes and communities which march on the border. Except in the Dee estuary, the relevant parish boundaries have been ascertained by the Ordnance Survey, mainly in the nineteenth century, under powers contained in the Ordnance Survey Act 1841 and subsequent continuing legislation. The defined boundaries are shown on Ordnance Survey maps.
Departmental Staff (Duties)........
Mr. Ray Powel asked the Secretary of State for Wales if any staff employed at the Welsh Office, Cardiff, include in their duties the excercising of dogs.
Mr. Wyn Roberts: No.
"
!
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRSY
No
P.
ह
Argentine Railways (Pensions)
6/2
फ Af/1
Mr. Nicholas Baker asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the present position over suspension of pension payments by Argentine Railways in respect of pensions payable to United Kingdom residents; and if he will make a
statement.
Mr. Onslow: The suspension of Argentine railway pensions to United Kingdom residents is a consequence of the economic sanctions imposed by Argentina. When, following Argentina's invasion of the Falkland Islands, the British Government froze Argentine assets in this country, an exception was made to allow pensions to people in Argentina to continue to be paid. However, in its retaliatory measures, Argentina made no comparable exception. We have asked the Swiss Government to make representations to the Argentine authorities on this subject, but there has regrettably been no positive response.
Namibia
Mr. Nicholas Winterton asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to make available financial aid to Namibia in the event of independence following free and fair elections.
Mr. Onslow: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Mr. Hooley) yesterday. [Vol. 26, c. 334.]
Falkland Islands
Mr. Nicholas Winterton asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the expenditure of the Falkland Islands Government in 1980-81 and 1981-82, excluding any expenditure on the recent conflict; and how much of this was met by the Government of the United Kingdom.
191
Written Answers
376
17
Mr. Onslow: The Falkland Islands Government's Estimates of ordinary expenditure were £2,411,004 in 1981-82 and £2,284,320 in 1980-81. The United Kingdom did not provide any budgetary aid to the Falkland Islands in either year. British aid to the Falkland Islands amounted to £1,058,000 in calendar year 1981 and £1,015,000 in calendar year 1980.
Hong Kong (Vietnamese Refugees)
See
32
Dr. Edmund Marshall asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Vietnamese refugees there now are in Hong Kong.
Mr. Rifkind: On 30 June there were 11,253 Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong.
Republic of Ireland (Continental Shelf)
Dr. Edmund Marshall asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress was made at the meeting held in June 1982 between officials of his Department and of the Government of the Republic of Ireland concerning the delimitation of the continental shelf between the United Kingdom and the Republic.
Mr. Rifkind: At the meeting in Dublin on 17 June officials made further progress towards settling the terms of the arbitration agreement. It remains the hope of both Governments that it will be possible to conclude the agreement during the course of this year. Another meeting has been scheduled for September.
"Northern Ireland: A Framework for Devolution"
Mr. Proctor asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to the hon. Member for Basildon of 25 June, Official Report, c. 195, if he will give details of the steps taken by Her Majesty's ambassador to the United States of America and his staff to explain the Northern Ireland White Paper policy to the United States Government and others; towards whom, apart from the United States Government, these steps were directed; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Hurd: One of the principal tasks of Her Majesty's ambassador and his staff in Washington is to ensure that the policies of Her Majesty's Government, including their policy in relation to Northern Ireland, are properly understood in the United States. Their efforts are directed not only towards the United States Government but towards Members of Congress, the media, and other important sections of American opinion.
Mr. Proctor asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) pursuant to the reply by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to the hon. Member for Basildon of 25 June, Official Report, c. 196, if he will give details of the steps taken by United Kingdom diplomatic posts to ensure that the policy set out in the White Paper "Northern Ireland: A Framework for Devolution" is understood in appropriate countries; and if he will make a statement;
(2) pursuant to the reply by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to the hon. Member for Basildon of 25 June, Official Report, c. 196, if he will set out in the Official Report those countries in which United Kingdom diplomatic posts have taken steps to explain the policy of
DATE 17.82
COL. 3.76 VOL 26