OA
ヨコ
TO 24/7
હ
1129-1140
71
Mr. Kinnock: I thank the right hon. Gentleman for postponing the Committee stage of the Hong Kong Bill so that further preparatory work can be done by hon. Members on both sides of the House.
In the light of allegations made in today's New Statesman about a deal between Britain and the Pinochet dictatorship in Chile during the Falklands war, will the Leader of the House arrange for the Foreign Secretary to make a statement early next week about the changes in voting by the Government at the United Nations on human rights violations in Chile, and about the Government's decision to end the arms embargo to Chile?
Mr. Biffen: To take those points in the order in which they were made, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his comments on the Committee stage of the Hong Kong Bill. It enables me to underline the fact that our decision was taken at the request of the Opposition, and it in no way diminishes the great importance attached to the legislation. I hope that it will pass speedily through the House.
I will of course draw the attention of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to the points concerning Chile.
Mr. Robert Parry (Liverpool, Riverside): Following the reference by my right hon. Friend the Leader of the Opposition to human rights in Chile, has the Leader of the House noted early-day motion 307 about the repression of trade unions in El Salvador, which has been signed by more than 50 hon. Members?
That this House is greatly concerned at the arrest of Salvador Chavez Escalante, General Secretary of the F.S.R., two days before the congress of the F.S.R. Trade Union Federation of his union by the national police force of El Salvador; and calls upon Her Majesty's Government to make urgent representations to President Duarte for Señor Escalante's release and to end the repression of the trade union movement in El Salvador. Will the Government make urgent representations to President Duarte asking for the immediate release of Mr. Escalante, the general secretary of the FSR?
Mr. Biffen: I have already told the Leader of the Opposition that I would refer the matter concerning Chile to my right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary. If it would be within the fraternity of the Labour party, perhaps I might include the problem raised by the hon. Gentleman.
Sir Bernard Braine (Castle Point): In view of the somewhat selective reference that the Leader of the Opposition made to human rights in connection with Chile, would not my right hon. Friend agree that there is a very strong case for the House to have the opportunity to discuss the violation of human rights all over the world and its relationship to foreign policy generally?
Mr. Biffen: I recognise that point. I have none the less to be rather unhelpful in the sense that no provision is made for the subject next week, and I do not think that there is an early likelihood of such a debate taking place in Government time. But it is a very important issue.