481
CO
cui
26/01/90
Vol.127
No. (5)
Written Answers
26 JULY 1990
DE I
e matter is sub-judice pending the outcome of current arings. But it would not be right to view the controls on the use of loudspeakers in public and the public collection of money as an infringement of civil liberties. These laws are of long standing and are widely understood, and supported, in the community. It should be noted that the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights provide that the exercise of the right to freedom of expression and of peaceful assembly may be subject to restrictions necessary, inter alia, for the respect and protection of the rights and freedoms of others. The restrictions on the use of loudspeakers is imposed very much with this in mind as excessive noise in a public place may create nuisance for members of the community.
Mr. Soley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Hong Kong Government intends to repeal the summary offences ordinance.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd: No.
Mr. Soley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people have been charged with using a loud hailer without a permit in Hong Kong for each year in the last five years.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd: Because prosecution records in Hong Kong are not computerised. the information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Soley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate the Hong Kong Government is able to make of the total amount collected in the pro-democracy rallies of 1989; and whether anyone was charged with the offence of collecting money without a permit.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd: The Hong Kong Government have not made an estimate of the total amount of money collected at large-scale rallies during 1989 and do not consider it appropriate to do so. In the immediate aftermath of June 4 1989 when public emotions ran high, the law was applied in a flexible manner and no one was charged with collecting money in public without a permit.
Mr. Soley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the proposed Bill of Rights for Hong Kong will entail the repeal of the summary offences ordinance or any part of it.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd: Existing legislation in Hong Kong, including the summary offences ordinance, is being reviewed to ensure that all provisions are in line with the proposed Bill of Rights.
Thailand
SEAD
Mr. O'Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when (a) the naval and air attaché, (b) the defence and military attaché and (c) the attaché (defence) presently attached to the British embassy in Thailand began their tours of duty.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd: The current naval and air attaché at the British embassy in Bangkok began his tour in November 1989; the defence and military attaché arrived in October 1988. There is no one at present filling the post of Attaché (defence).
ESED
Written Answers
Conservation Convention
482
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to support a conservation convention; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd: I shall write to the hon. Member.
MVD
Immigration
Mrs. Mahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the waiting times for different queues for interviews in relation to entry clearance for the United Kingdom at Islamabad.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd: As at 31 May, the estimated waiting times (in months) are:
Islamabad
QI
22
Q3
Q4
3
5
9
19
Settlement queues are organised as follows:
QI Persons with a claim to the right of abode, dependant relatives
over 70 years, special compassionate cases. Q2 All spouses, and all children under 18 years.
Q3 Fiance(e)s and others applying for the first time for
settlement.
Q4 Re-applicants.
Visitors
Due to seasonal high demand, applicants for visit visas in Islamabad requiring a full interview can expect to wait up to five days.
RMD
Political Advisers
Mr. Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the political advisers and public relations advisers currently employed to advise Ministers in his Department, including those persons paid by other organisations and seconded to the Government, giving in every case the source of payment, rate of salary and expenses.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd: There are two special advisers, Mr. Lidington and Mr. Fraser. Their role is to consider the presentational and domestic political aspects of policy issues and to advise the Secretary of State and Ministers. It is not our practice to reveal the salaries of individual advisers. They are individually negotiated in relation to previous outside earnings.
SAD
Sri Lanka
Mr. Parry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representa- tions to the Government of Sri Lanka to grant direct entry for humanitarian aid agencies and to allow Commonwealth or United Nations mediators to negotiate a peaceful end to the civil war.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd: No. We are not aware that the Sri Lankan Government have restricted access for aid agencies. A number are already at work there, and the international committee of the Red Cross is currently supervising convoys of relief supplies to the north. President Premadasa has already spoken of involving the international community in any future talks with the
LTTE.
!
1
I
}
(
J
[
t
1.
n
E a
}
P
$.
a:
P.
D
C(
2 40 32.5 30 30
in
ai
G
as
D
242 CW93/54 Job 13-7