169
Written Answers
31 JANUARY 1984
Parry asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is satisfied with the industrial
re
ns with Government employees in Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Luce: Yes. The Hong Kong Government are making full and effective use of the central and departmental consultative machinery they have built up in
recent years.
Mr. Parry asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if there are any plans to involve the trade unions more closely in the administration of Hong Kong.
Mr. Luce: At present the trade unions in Hong Kong are consulted on labour matters, including proposed legislation, through their elected representatives on the tripartite labour advisory board. There are no plans to involve trade unions as such more closely in the
administration of Hong Kong.
Mr. Parry asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if there are any plans to appoint an ombudsman in Hong Kong; and if he will make a
statement.
Mr. Luce: No. Existing channels for dealing with individual grievances or appeals against Government decisions are considered satisfactory.
Mr. Parry asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the
recent industrial action on the mass transit railway in Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Luce: The operating department staff union of the mass transit railway in Hong Kong went on strike at 5 am on 22 January. The strike involved all train operators and was settled at 2 am on 25 January through the conciliation efforts of the Labour Department of the Hong Kong Government. Train services, which had been only slightly affected, resumed normal operation at 5.15 am the same morning.
Mr. Parry asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the names of the hon. Members who have visited Hong Kong at the invitation of the Hong Kong Government over the past three years; and if he will identify the number of occasions in respect of each hon. Member.
Mr. Luce: The following right hon. and hon. Members have visited Hong Kong at the invitation of the Hong Kong Government during the past three years:
85
Written Answers
170
12
Mr. Edward Lyons
Mr. David Steel
HKK 01113.
13PED 1944
1981
February
Mr. Ray Whitney
April May August
Mr. Peter Shore
Mr. George Thomas
1982
January
Mr. Michael Jopling rat
1983
January
Mr. Peter Bottomley.
April May
Mr. Roland Moyle
Mr. Mark Carlisle
Mr. Tony Durant
August
Mr. Jack Dormand
No
Ric
Mr. James Callaghan
нев
September
Mr. John Lee
1984
January
Sir Peter Blaker
No Member has been invited more than once during this period.
Mr. Parry asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent consideration has been given to the amendment of the Hong Kong constitution to provide for (a) a Government responsible to an elected legislature, and (b) an elected urban council; and what representations have been made by the Government of the People's Republic of China on these issues.
Mr. Luce: Both we and the Government of Hong Kong are keeping Hong Kong's constitutional development under constant review. It is not our practice to disclose confidential diplomatic exchanges with foreign
Governments.
Cyprus
Mr. Jim Callaghan asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to initiate any new moves in Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Whitney: The Secretary General of the United Nations is currently engaged in consultations with the parties concerned in an effort to make progress over the Cyprus problem. We support these efforts and are ourselves keeping in close contact with those involved. We remain ready to join the Governments of Greece and Turkey in consultations together under the 1960 treaty of Guarantee. A further separate initiative would not be helpful at this stage, but we remain ready to assist the Secretary General in whatever way he considers appropriate.
Mr. Jim Callaghan asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next intends to visit Cyprus.
Mr. Whitney: My right hon. and learned Friend has no immediate plans to do so.
United Nations (Expenditure)
Mr. Nicholas Winterton asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the items of United Nations expenditure which Her Majesty's Government have opposed on the grounds that they might be used, directly or indirectly, to finance terrorist activity;
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