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རིགས་༩\ ༩ཅན་པ པ་ཏི་
16 APRIL 1986
Mr. Scott [pursuant to his reply, 14 April 1986, c. 243]: During 1985 no one charged under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1984 had been arrested initially under another Act.
Plastic Baton Rounds
Mr. McNamara asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many formal complaints have been made about incidents of police use of plastic baton rounds in 1985 and the current year to date; in how many cases the complaint has been upheld; and in how many cases disciplinary action has been taken against the officers involved.
Mr. Scott [pursuant to his reply, 14 April 1986, c. 242]: During 1985 six formal complaints were made about the use of plastic baton rounds by the Royal Ulster Constabulary. Four were later withdrawn and the others are still under investigation. To date in 1986 (10 April) one formal complaint has been made. This is also under investigation.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
United Nations General Assembly Resolution 40/641
Mr. Caborn asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give the reasons why Her Majesty's Government voted against the 1985 United Nations General Assembly resolution 40/641.
Mrs. Chalker: We voted against United Nations General Assembly resolution 40/641 because we considered that its call for the Security Council to consider the adoption of mandatory sanctions against South Africa would only make matters worse in that country.
Apartheid (United Nations General Assembly)
Mr. Caborn asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions the EEC has voted unanimously on apartheid in the United Nations General Assembly; and on how many occasions the United Kingdom has voted differently from the rest of the EEC.
Mrs. Chalker: The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The answer in respect of the nine resolutions adopted at the 40th session of the United Nations General Assembly in 1985 is as follows:
EC member states all took the same position on two
resolutions (40/64G and 40/64H).
The United Kingdom voted differently from the common position of the other EC member states on one resolution (40/64D).
The votes of the EC member states split three ways
on four resolutions (40/64B, C, F and I). Greece voted differently from the other EC member
states on two resolutions (40/64A and E).
Single European Act
Mr. Teddy Taylor asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why he considers that the Single European Act will not have any consequences for public expenditure in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.
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Mrs. Chalker: The European Communities (Amendment) Bill brings those parts of the Single European Act which relate to the European Communities into the corpus of Community law which applies in the United Kingdom as part of our domestic law. As stated in the explanatory memorandum, the Bill has no direct financial effect in the United Kingdom. Any implications for the EC budget and for United Kingdom public expenditure will arise from future Council decisions under the EC treaty, including those parts of it amended by the Single European Act, not from the Single Act or the Bill itself.
Mr. Teddy Taylor asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why he considers that the Single European Act will have implications for the budget of the Communities; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Chalker: The provisions of the Single European Act do not in themselves affect the Community budget. Future Council decisions based on the new provisions may have implications for the Community budget: in particular, the establishment of a court of first instance by unanimous decision of the Council would involve direct costs to the Community budget.
Vietnamese Refugees (Hong Kong)
Mr. Best asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his policy towards the welfare of Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong, in the light of the report entitled "Refugees from Vietnam in Hong Kong", dated March 1986, by Refugee Action, a copy of which has been sent to him.
Mr. Renton: We and the Hong Kong Government keep under constant review the welfare of Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong, with a view to ensuring that conditions in the refugee camps are as humane as possible. The Hong Kong Government are studying the report to which my hon. Friend refers, and will take account of its recommendations wherever practicable.
Immigration
Mr. Madden asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the immigration office at the British embassy in Islamabad ceased to accept letters from sponsors, solicitors and other representatives as applications for entry clearance; if this rule applies to other British posts; when this rule was introduced; what consultation was undertaken; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar: In the applicant's own interest a standard application form should be used where possible, but letters that contain all of the relevant details may still be sent to and accepted by British missions overseas, providing that the letter is accompanied by the appropriate fee paid in local currency. This applies to all entry clearance issuing posts, and is a result of the introduction of the entry certificate fee on 1 January 1985. Apart from visa nationals applying in the Republic of Ireland and those applying in the United Kingdom for re-entry visas, applications since 26 August 1985 must be lodged outside the common travel area.
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