4
549
Written Answers
25 JANUARY 1985
Written Answers
550
176
EC unemployment
Unadjusted, national definitions
Latest month
Thousands Percentage rate
OECD standardised rates Latest month Percentage rate
Belgium
Denmark France
November
510.0
18.5
November
15.7
October
257.4
9.8
**
*
December
2,524.9
13.2
November
9.2
Germany
Greece
December
2,325.2
9.4
November
8.0
November
89.0
5-3
*
*
Ireland
December
225.4
17.4
**
*
Italy
November
2,982.8
13.2
April
10.4
Luxembourg
November
2.8
1.8
**
*
Netherlands
November
797-5
17.1
November
United Kingdom of which
December
3,219.4
13.4
November
13.5 13.4
England
December
2,577-1
12.8
*
Northern Ireland
December
119.4
20.6
Scotland
December
342.9
15.2
**
December
180.1
16.8
*
Wales
*Not available.
Mr. Ron Davies asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have been unemployed for over 12 months; and what were the comparable figures in April 1979.
Mr. Foulkes asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the numbers of people unemployed for over 12 months; and what this is as a proportion of those out of work.
Mr. Robert B. Jones asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) by what percentage the total number of unemployed in the Hertfordshire, West constituency has changed between December 1983 and December 1984;
(2) by what percentage the total number of unemployed women in the Hertfordshire, West con- stitutency has changed between September 1984 and December 1984.
Mr. Alan Clark: The information is available in the House of Commons Library.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Taiwan
Mr. Murphy asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement of Government policy regarding the Republic of China on Taiwan and future diplomatic and commercial relations.
Mr. Luce: Since 1950 Her Majesty's Government have dealt with the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal Goverment of China. Accordingly there can be no question of entering into diplomatic or other official relations with the authorities in Taiwan.
British industry has substantial commercial dealings with Taiwan, but these are pursued through non-official channels.
Falkland Islands
Mr. Wigley asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his estimate of the total cost against his budget of maintaining the Falkland Islands for the present financial year; and what are the corresponding figures for 1982-83 and 1983-84.
Mr. Renton: There is no provision in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office budget for the normal cost of maintaining the Falkland Islands. Normal expenditure is met from the Falkland Islands Government revenues.
Provision has, however, been made in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office budget for rehabilitation and development aid, and for the cost of the Diplomatic Service personnel in Port Stanley. These costs are approximately as follows:
1982-83
1983-84
1984-85*
* Estimate.
Rehabilitation and Development Aid
£ million
10
6
8
Diplomatic Service Personnel
£ million
152,000
170,000
187,000
FUCK 040/4
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY Hong Kong
30 JAN 1985.
ATRY
Mr. J. Enoch Powell asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will analyse the present population of the dolony of Hong Kong, other than Tak persons temporarily resident there, according to their existing nationality, specifying in each category the basis of that status and the estimated numbers holding it.
Mr. Luce: According to the latest figures available the total population of Hong Kong is approximately 5.3 million. The Hong Kong Government estimate that this figure is made up as follows:
A. 20,000 British Citizens (with right of abode in the United
Kingdom).
B. 3 million British Dependent Territories citizens (with right of
abode in Hong Kong).
C. 1.8 million Chinese residents (ie Persons of Chinese race with
the right to reside in Hong Kong).
C. 400,000 other persons of Chinese race (who have lived in Hong Kong for less than 7 years and have not therefore acquired the right of permanent residence).
E. 95,500 Other foreign nationals.
F. 4,500 Stateless persons of non-Chinese race, most of whom
originate from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.
Mr. Stanbrook asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why the new category of British nationality (overseas) is proposed for Hong Kong instead of the existing category of British overseas citizenship; and in what significant respects the former differs from the latter.
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