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carry out works and operations for the purpose of preventing pollution of controlled waters, to take remedial action where pollution has already occurred and to recover the costs of taking such action. These general powers are applicable to abandoned mine workings. In such cases, the authority may seek to recover costs from any person who caused pollution.
Homelessness
Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the number of homeless people who will be sleeping rough this Christmas.
Mr. Michael Spicer [holding answer 26 November 1990]: We do not make forecasts of the number of people who may be sleeping rough at any point in the future. We have recently announced an increase of £80 million in our package of measures to help such people.
Housing Corporation
Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the Housing Corporation's ADP allocation on current projections by regions in terms of (a) original projected expenditure per region, (b) current projected expenditure per region, (c) original planned number of units for rent and (d) current projected number of units for rent.
Mr. Key [holding answer 26 November 1990]: This is a matter for the Housing Corporation. I have therefore asked the corporation to respond to the hon. Member direct.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Higher Education
Mr. Knapman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration is being given by his Department to making donations to higher education from industry tax deductible.
Mr. Maude: The tax system already provides incentives to encourage business donations to higher education. Corporation tax relief is available for trade-related company donations for technical education and for cash payments by way of covenants and the gift aid scheme to educational establishments that are charities.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
HK)
Hong Kong SEAD
Mr. Warren: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the reasons for the delay in the development of the new airport at Hong Kong, and when it is now expected to be completed.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd: There has been no delay. The Hong Kong Government plan to have the first runway in operation by early 1997.
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the number of
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Vietnamese children under the age of 14 years who were being held in detention centres in Hong Kong on 20 November.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd: On 20 November there were 13,468 children under the age of 14 being held in detention centres in Hong Kong.
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the number of Vietnamese (a) men and (b) women who were being held in detention centres in Hong Kong on 20 November.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd: On 20 November there were 16,991 men and 13,976 women being held in detention centres in Hong Kong.
FNDDD Non-proliferation Treaty
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the implications for the 1995 extension conference of the non-proliferation treaty of the lack of a final document from the fourth review conference.
Mr. Douglas Hogg: The lack of a final document did not prevent the review conference from endorsing the continuing importance of the non-proliferation treaty for world security. We hope that the conference in 1995 will take a similarly positive line.
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the fourth review conference of the non-proliferation treaty.
Mr. Douglas Hogg: The NPT review conference was conducted in a positive atmosphere; there was wide support for the treaty's objectives and agreement was reached on most issues. It is to be regretted that consensus on a final document was blocked by one delegation, but the conference nevertheless achieved a full review of the operation of the treaty and demonstrated its continuing importance as a cornerstone of world security.
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will indicate if any commitments were made to any of the 37 non- governmental organisations invited to the off the record briefing referred to in his answer of 31 October 1990, Official Report, column 564, to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, East (Mr. Strang) to clarify in writing matters not resolved during the meeting of 23 October.
Mr. Douglas Hogg: As the hon. Gentleman has recognised, the meeting was off the record.
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out the reasons why the United Kingdom Government considered it inappropriate for preparatory meetings for the 1995 nuclear non-proliferation treaty to begin in 1991 and the alternative proposals tabled by the three nuclear non-proliferation depository powers including the United Kingdom.
Mr. Douglas Hogg: The preparatory committee deals with administrative arrangements for the review confer- ence, and we see no need for it to meet as early as 1991. For