361
Written Answers
23 FEBRUARY 1982
Written Answers
Mr. Humphrey Atkins: This information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Canavan asked the Lord Privy Seal how many aliens are now resident in Hong Kong whose presence is not subject to a resident's visa.
Mr. Humphrey Atkins: Approximately 1.73 million.
Mr. Canavan asked the Lord Privy Seal how many aliens are presently in Hong Kong whose presence is subject to a resident's visa; and if he will classify the information by nationality, age and sex.
Mr. Humphrey Atkins: On 31 December 1981 there were 413,911 aliens in Hong Kong whose presence was subject to a resident's visa. Of these, approximately 360,000 were Chinese immigrants. The classification by nationality, age and sex is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Mr. McTaggart asked the Lord Privy Seal what channels of appeal or petition exist in the United Kingdom for Hong Kong residents whose expulsions have been ordered and who have exhausted the local appeals procedure.
Mr. Humphrey Atkins: Hong Kong residents may petition the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and Her Majesty The Queen. All such communications should be transmitted through the Governor.
Shanghai
Mr. Parry asked the Lord Privy Seal what is the latest situation concerning the possibility of Her Majesty's Government opening a consulate in Shanghai.
Mr. Humphrey Atkins: There are no immediate plans to open a consulate in Shanghai. The question is, however, kept under review.
ENVIRONMENT
HKK 345/2
Inner City Areas
362
Mr. Nicholas Winterton asked the Secretary of State: for the Environment whether he will give special consideration to the white resident population in inner city areas who are unemployed or who suffer from other social problems related to those areas; and if he will make a statement.
NO
८५
913
ART13
Sir George Young: The urban programme is intended. to help all the residents of inner city areas with special social needs, and in particular to direct most help to those with the greatest problems.
Cadmium Pollution Working Party (Report)
Mr. Rooker asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to receive the report of the cadmium pollution working party.
Mr. Giles Shaw: In the autumn.
Burns Report
Mr. David Watkins asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he has taken on the recommendations of the report of the committee chaired by Sir Wilfred Burns on the means and powers of local authorities to foster industry and commerce.
Mr. King: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Devizes (Mr. Morrison) in the House on 11 February.-[Vol. 17, c. 465-66.]
Housing Construction
Mr. Frank R. White asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many dwellings were started and how many dwellings were under construction at end of period, and how many dwellings were completed, for the Metropolitan district of Bury, the North-West region and England, for the fourth quarter of 1980 and the full year, by quarters, of 1981.
Sir George Young: Following is the available information:
Total Dwellings Started, Under Construction and Completed
Started
Bury
North- England
West
Under constuction at end of period Bury North- England West
Completed
Bury North-
England
West
1980
4th quarter
34
2,811 25,372
637
31,904 257,590
136
6,945
52,357
1981
1st quarter
41
3,208
28,179
632
29,635 239,779
46
2nd quarter
51
4,293
3rd quarter
74
4,018
4th quarter
84
*3,520 -
36,537 37,415 *30,610
617
27,987 235,117
646 684
26,736 230,946 *24,940 *219,530
46
aaaa
5,477
45,990
66
5,941
41,199
45 5,269 41,586 *5,320 *42,030
* Provisional.
Departmental Staff
Sir David Price asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many civil servants were employed by his Department in May 1979; how many are employed in
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February 1982; and what has been the percentage change; in each case how many were first division civil servants; and what has been the percentage change in their numbers.
Mr. Heseltine: After excluding 765 staff transferred to the Department of Transport during this period, the number of permanent civil servants employed in my