*
21.1
[I head
Hong Kong Chinese:
WYATT OF WEEFORD.]
[ LORDS ]
is the Peking Government which must have confidence in the willingness of Hong Kong residents to stay, not the other way round.
Lord Glenarthur: My Lords, with respect, the noble Lord's argument is flawed because it is difficult to see how the Chinese would welcome a move which could be used as a sanction against violation by them of the Joint Declaration. The noble Lord's argument is muddled.
Lord Wyatt of Weeford: My Lords-
Noble Lords: Order!
Lord Derwent: My Lords, although I sympathise with the problems of my noble friend the Minister, is he aware that this single issue is now causing a great deal of resentment against Britain, even among those Chinese in Hong Kong who do not wish to come here or have a passport? In the interests of Britain, it is not wise to antagonise the smaller businessmen and executives with whom all British trade will have to take place after 1997.
Lord Glenarthur: My Lords, I believe that my noble friend is confusing the general issue that was discussed during the passage of the British Nationality Act with the matter of others who might, for one reason or another, want to come here. There are cases where those who wish to come to invest in this country can come under the rules that my noble friend knows.
Lord Wyatt of Weeford: My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that I have read-
Noble Lords: Order!
Lord Wyatt of Weeford:- the entire draft agreement and nothing-
The Lord Privy Seal (Lord Belstead): My Lords, if the noble Lord will forgive me, I believe that the reason why noble Lords are calling "Order!" is that Question Time is supposed to be an opportunity to ask for information. Some of us get the impression that on this occasion he is giving rather than asking for information.
Lord MacLehose of Beoch: My Lords, if the Government cannot match what the Portuguese Government have done, will they consider reviewing the operation of Section 4(5) of the British Nationality Act, which applies to a comparatively restricted number of Hong Kong people?
Lord Glenarthur: My Lords, as the noble Lord knows, Section 4(5) of the British Nationality Act is a matter for the Home Secretary's discretion. It was made perfectly plain during the passage of that Act that the use to be made of that section would be very
sparing.
3.21 p.m.
EC Passports
BBC Overseas Service Funding
1212
Lord Gridley asked Her Majesty's Government:
How funding for the BBC Overseas Service has altered in real terms since 1979.
Lord Glenarthur: My Lords, including this financial year, the annual funding of the BBC World Service has increased by some 46 per cent. in real terms since 1979.
Lord Gridley: My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that Answer, which might be considered fairly reasonable as far as it goes. But does it really cover a huge concern like the Overseas Service of the BBC? In particular, has he seen the comments made by the director general, Michael Checkland, in the BBC annual report for 1987-88 in which he states that in order to bolster the power and safety of the BBC in the coming decade it will be necessary to establish a TV world service, as well as providing the ordinary BBC broadcasting service that goes out! Those remarks were echoed-
Noble Lords: Order!
Lord Gridley:-by some of his directors. If this service is unable to be funded, can my noble friend say what is to be done? I understand that funds have been created but the Government are unable to use them.
Lord Glenarthur: My Lords, the Government considered very carefully the BBC request for public. funds in order to start up a world television news service. We noted that a commercial world television news service started without public funds and we concluded that the provision of public funds to the BBC for this purpose was not justified.
Lord Strabolgi: My Lords, will the Government confirm that the foreign language services of the BBC will not be reduced, as these services are broadcast in 36 languages to over 100 million people?
Lord Glenarthur: My Lords, there are no plans to reduce them. The output in terms of hours has increased from 711 to 768 a week.
Lord Tordoff: My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that though the funding of the overseas service has been more stable in recent years, nevertheless the increases that he has just mentioned have mainly gone into capital expenditure and that it needs a considerable amount of operating expenditure to work the new transmitters? Does he agree that, if one considers the general level of inflation over the next two years, there is going to be a decrease in the amount of money available for the BBC to operate these services in real terms?
Lord Glenarthur: My Lords, that will be looked at when we come to consider the next triennia. These matters are fixed three years at a time, so that will be decided in the 1990 public expenditure round.