{
WA
Written Answers
Written Answers
Thursday, 4th March 1993,
HKB
RECE MARCH 19ISTRY
011/6
MAR
DES:
INDEX
PA
HONG KONG: ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS
Lord Elton asked Her Majesty's Government:
What position has been reached in discussions with the Chinese Government on Hong Kong electoral issues.
Baroness Trumpington: The Governor of Hong Kong plans to make a full statement to the Legislative Council in Hong Kong on 5th March of the position reached with the Chinese side over electoral arrangements in Hong Kong. My noble Friend Lady Chalker of Wallasey will write further on this matter and copies of her letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
TREATY OF ROME
Lord Tebbit asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Treaty of Rome as amended by the Single European Act may be amended by unanimous agreement amongst all its signatories.
Baroness Trumpington: It is clear from Article 236 of the Treaty of Rome that amendments to the treaty must be agreed by common accord of representatives of the governments of all member states. Amendments so agreed can enter into force only after ratification by all member states in accordance with their respective constitutional requirements.
Lord Tebbit asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether nations which are signatories to the Treaty of Rome are prohibited from denying other signatories the benefits of the provisions of the treaty.
Baroness Trumpington: In the absence of any relevant exception in the Treaty of Rome, a state party may not refuse to accord other state parties the benefits conferred by that treaty.
DOMESTIC SERVANTS: INFORMATION
LEAFLET
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many copies of Information for Domestic Servants Travelling to the UK (C150 56 00 10170) have been issued to domestics, their employers and otherwise, since this leaflet was introduced.
Baroness Trumpington: Records are not kept of the numbers of leaflets issued. This information is therefore not available.
Written Answers
TRANSCAUCASUS: DIPLOMATIC
REPRESENTATION
pa. Rels w. Pay
W4 40
Baroness Cox asked Her Majesty's Government:
In view of the recent announcement that they have opened an Embassy in Azerbaijan, when and whether they intend to open an Embassy in Armenia.
Baroness Trumpington: We have announced our intention to open an Embassy in Azerbaijan later this year. We have full diplomatic relations with Armenia and staff from our Embassy in Moscow will continue to visit Yerevan regularly. We are keeping the question of our representation in the Transcaucasus under review in the light of available resources.
WHITCHURCH SCHOOL
Lord Denning asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the last sentence in the Answer of Earl Ferrers on 1st February 1993, whether there is any good reason why the commissioners should not establish a scheme seeing that the trustees made the required statutory application on 2nd September 1987 and the commissioners are under a statutory obligation to establish it under Section 1(5)(b) and Section 2 of the Act.
The Minister of State, Home Office (Earl Ferrers): The future use or disposal of the former premises of Whitchurch Church of England School is, in the first instance, a matter to be decided by the trustees of that charity. They have now determined that they wish to sell the former site and do not wish to proceed with a scheme under the Reverter of Sites Act 1987. Notwithstanding the earlier application made to the Charity Commissioners under that Act, the commis- sioners accordingly see no reason to proceed with such a scheme in the light of the trustees' decision. Section 2 of the Act confers a power on the commissioners to establish schemes, and not a duty.
EC FOODSTUFFS WITHDRAWN: QUANTITY AND VALUE
Lord Jenkins of Putney asked Her Majesty's Government:
What foodstuffs were destroyed by the EC in the last complete year for which statistics are available and what was the total cost of such destruction.
The Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Earl Howe): The latest information available on the destruction of withdrawn foodstuffs in the EC relates to the 1990/91 season, and is as follows:
Product
Cost of withdrawal £ (at 1990/91
Quantity
destroyed
(tonnes)
green rate of
£0-779553)
Cauliflowers Tomatoes Aubergines Peaches
15,365 7,122
82
409,734
1,114,409 357,266
4,060 54,629,490
(25)
11 LW70/1 Job l-l