29
HKD)
Written Answers
Vol.177
23 JULY 1990
Hong Kong
Mr. Channon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any proposals to give additional assurances to the spouses of British citizens resident in Hong Kong about their right of entry to the United Kingdom.
Mr. Peter Lloyd: All spouses of British citizens have the assurance that under the immigration rules they would be entitled to settle in the United Kingdom with that British citizen provided that:
(i) the primary purpose of the marriage was not to obtain admission to the United Kingdom: (ii) the parties to the marriage have met and intend to live permanently together; and (iii) the parties can maintain and accommodate themselves adequately without recourse to public funds.
In view of the concern felt by British citizens in the particular circumstances of Hong Kong about the position of their spouses if they died, we have given an assurance that the widow or widower of a British citizen resident in Hong Kong at the time of his death will be allowed to settle in the United Kingdom at any time, either before or after 1997, as if coming here as the spouse of a British citizen. To benefit from this assurance the widow or widower must still be resident in Hong Kong and not have remarried. In addition, we have decided that this assurance-which originally excluded those who were nationals of a third country-should now be available irrespective of the widow or widower's nationality.
We are in addition making arrangements whereby the spouse of a British citizen resident in Hong Kong may approach the Hong Kong immigration department with evidence of the marriage. The details will be noted in a register of non-British citizen spouses of British citizens and the spouse will be given a formal letter issued on my right hon. and learned Friend's behalf confirming that the holder is married to a British citizen. The letter will explain that the spouse is eligible to settle in the United Kingdom providing that the immigration rules requirements are met. It will also include an assurance that a later application for entry clearance will be given priority treatment in view of the information which has already been noted. We are still finalising the details of this, but we hope it will be possible to start providing this service very soon.
I believe that the assurances we have given, and the new arrangements for recording and confirming spouse's details, should remove any fears which British citizens in Hong Kong may have had about their spouses' position and they need feel no reason to leave Hong Kong simply to secure their spouses' immigration status.
Police Interviews
Mr. Lawrence: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what are his plans for the introduction of video recordings of police interviews with suspects:
(2) what are his plans for the introduction of video recording of police interviews with suspects.
Mr. Peter Lloyd: We have no such plans at present. Officials are keeping in touch with experimental schemes for the video recording of interviews with suspects which are being carried out in some police forces.
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Write Answers
Childcare
39 36
Mr. Leighton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with, and what representations he has received from the CBI and
individual employers about the part, they can play in
employers/about раньше providing childcare.
RECEIVED, IN, REGISTRY. Mr. Patten (holding answer 18 July, 1990 Home Office Ministers have not been dire2yAG dicussions
with employers about childcare, nor has the Home Office received any representations from employers. The role of the Home Office, through the Ministerial Group on Women's Issues, which I chair, is to co-ordinate action by responsible Departments. The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Employment has made known employer's views on childcare when it has been considered at the Ministerial Group.
EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
European School, Culham
Mr. Meale: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the likely liability of Her Majesty's Government for the funding of the European school at Culham in the financial years 1989-90, 1990-91 and financial years thereafter; and if he will indicate the principal items of expenditure for each year and the number of pupils and staff at the school in the current year.
Mr. Alan Howarth: The cost of maintaining the European schools is shared between individual member states and the European Commission. In the case of the European school at Culham the Government are responsible for the costs of maintaining the school's premises and for the costs of the national salaries of the United Kingdom teachers which it seconds to the school. Premises costs in 1989-90 were £219,000, and in 1990-91 are expected to amount to £456,000; costs in future years have yet to be settled. Salaries costs for United Kingdom teachers in 1989-90 were £346,000, and in 1990-91 are expected to amount to about £400,000; subject to national- salaries increases for teachers in the United Kingdom, expenditure in future years is expected to be on the same pattern. There will be 827 pupils and 111 teaching staff, of whom 18 will be United Kingdom teachers, in the school at the start of the academic year beginning this September.
GCSE
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what target the Government has for the percentage of 16 to 18-year-olds who will have five GCSEs at grade A to C or better or equivalent (a) in the current year and (b) by 1995.
Mrs. Rumbold: The Government's objectives are to promote a significant increase in attainments of this age group through the introduction of the national curriculum and improvements in the GCSE and other qualifications. It would not be appropriate in our view to establish quantified targets for such attainments. Such targets could imply that the Government have control over the outcome, which is not the case; and there is a risk that their promulgation could lead to adjustments in the standards demanded, so that the targets would be reached on paper.