503
Written Answers
25 MARCH 1983
commissioners to withdraw the provision for these ceilings so that consultations can first take place. The rest of the instrument, including that which relates to reva fisation, is not affected.
stai
The commissioners will be laying the necessary amendinents to regulation 27(2) and 27(3) forthwith.
Social Security
Mr. Stallard asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in the light of decisions announced in his Budget statement, he will revise the figure of £180 million estimated savings in the social security budget in the part- year 1983-84, given in his autumn economic statement, paragraph 2.25.
Mr. Brittan [pursuant to his reply, 24 March 1983, c. 496]: The effect on the social security programme of the decision to revert to the historic method for uprating social security benefits will not be known until after the rate of inflation between May 1982 and May 1983 is published in June. Other decisions announced in the Budget will increase the social security programme by about £120 million, the cost of which will be met from the contingency reserve.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Vietnamese Refugees
Dr. Edmund Marshall asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Vietnamese refugees are currently in Hong Kong.
Mr. Rifkind: On 23 March 1983 there were 12,395 Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong.
Mr. Skeet asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will co-ordinate a European response to the problems of Vietnamese refugees in order to ensure an equal distribution of refugees between European states.
Mr. Rifkind: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is normally responsible for the resettlement of Vietnamese refugees. He takes into account a number of factors including the preferences of the refugees, historical and cultural ties and language, and family connections as well as the readiness of recipient countries to admit refugees for resettlement. Their distribution throughout Europe is therefore unlikely to be equal though, as stated in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Hazel Grove (Mr. Arnold) on 21 March [Vol. 39, c. 345]-there have been significant and welcome contributions by many countries to the sharing of this international responsibility.
El Salvador
Mr. Skinner asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what level of financial assistance was provided to El Salvador in 1980, 1981 and 1982, respectively.
Mr. Onslow: No capital aid has been provided to El Salvador during 1980-82, but finance has been provided through the bilateral technical co-operation programme as follows:
261
1980 £265,000 1981 £41,000
1982
£2,500 approximately
24311
£212.500
Written Answers
United [0
504
51
In addition £100,000 has been provided during 1981 and
1932 during
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and International Committee for the Red Cross and British voluntary agencies to assist El Salvadorean refugees and a further £100,000 in 1982 to assist central American refugees including those from El Salvador.
Mr. Skinner asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will now take steps to ban all financial assistance to El Salvador; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Onslow: We have no bilateral or military assistance programme in El Salvador. However we believe it right to continue to contribute through the international charitable organisations to the relief of urgent human need, in El Salvador as elsewhere.
Indonesia
Mr. Skinner asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will DOW discontinue granting export licences to firms selling military arms and equipment to Indonesia; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Rifkind: No. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Wood Green (Mr. Race) on 3 February.-[Vol. 36, c. 171-2.]
WALES
Sports and Leisure Centres
Mr. Wigley asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many officially recognised sports and leisure centres open to the public there are in Wales at the present; and how many are in the course of construction.
Mr. John Stradling Thomas: The Sports Council for Wales operates the national sports centre for Wales in Cardiff and the national outdoor pursuits centre for Wales at Plas-y-Deri, Llanfairisgaer, where the main construc- tion work is now completed and full operations are planned to start in May. Seventy-seven sports and leisure centres are operated by local authorities, of which forty-three are joint provision centres used jointly by schools and local communities. The Sports Council has no further centres under construction. Information on local authority centres under construction or planned is not held centrally.
Marginal Land Scheme
Mr. Wigley asked the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has recently received from the` Farmers Union of Wales concerning progress on the marginal land scheme; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. John Stradling Thomas: My right hon. Friend met leaders of the Farmers Union of Wales on Wednesday 23 March, when this issue was raised. He was able to assure them that the European Commission is actively pursuing the matter.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
NGPI, Agusan del Sur Province, Philippines
Mr. Alton asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will break down the
DATE 25.3.83
COL
VOL
503 39