377
Written Answers
Written Answers to
Questions
Monday 8 March 1993
8 MARCH 1993
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Market Testing
Mrs. Gorman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will subject his legal advisers to market testing; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Goodlad: We have no plans to market test the work of the FCO legal advisers.
Hong Kong
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are Governor Patten's proposals for current economic reforms in Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Goodlad: The Governor of Hong Kong made it clear in his address to the Legislative Council on 7 October 1992 that he would maintain the policies that have generated economic success in Hong Kong, including low predictable taxes, Government spending which does not outpace economic growth and the encouragement of competition. In his Budget on 3 March, Hong Kong's Financial Secretary confirmed that Hong Kong's economy continues to perform strongly. He proposed tax cuts, increased expenditure on priority areas, and measures to assist Hong Kong's most disadvantaged citizens. He also forecast an increase of HKD6-8 billion in Hong Kong's projected reserves in 1996-97.
Immigration
Mr. Madden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when a decision is to be taken on applications to enter the United Kingdom made to the post in Islamabad by Mrs. Salim Bi (born 2-1-1934) and her son, Shah Jehan (born 16-1-1976) (Ref: Imm/67849); when DNA test results concerning these applicants were received at the post; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd: In the absence of any information about this case, I have asked the High Commission in Islamabad for a full report. I shall arrange for the hon. Member to receive a substantive reply from the migration and visa correspondence unit of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as soon as possible.
Israel
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the number of nuclear warheads in Israel's possession; and what are the implications of this for his foreign policy.
Mr. Douglas Hogg: We have no direct evidence that Israel has developed a nuclear weapons programme. However, we are well aware of reports that Israel has such
193 CW36/1 Job l-1
Written Answers
378
a programme and we shall continue to call on the Israeli Government to allay suspicions categorically by acceding to the non-proliferation treaty as a non-nuclear weapon state. We also call on Israel to work with her neighbours to create a zone free of weapons of mass destruction in the middle east.
Employment Protection Regulations
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library copies of all circulars and other advice issued by his Department concerning the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 and the acquired rights directive.
Mr. Goodlad: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not yet issued any circulars or other advice concerning the transfer of undertakings regulations 1981 and the acquired rights directive.
Rwanda
Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the Rwandan authorities concerning human rights abuses in Rwanda.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd: The EC and its member states have repeatedly expressed their concern at the present situation in Rwanda and have appealed to all parties concerned to be flexible so that a peaceful solution can be found to their difficulties. The most recent EC statement issued on 15 February and a copy has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how his Department are monitoring the human rights situation in Rwanda.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd: We have no diplomatic mission in Rwanda. Other United Kingdom missions in the region follow closely developments in that country. We also have regular consultations with EC partners and other western countries who have resident representations in Rwanda.
Malawi
Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements have been made for international observers to be present for the referendum in Malawi on a multi-party system.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd: In conjunction with other members of the international community we are prepared in principle to provide observers to the referendum process subject to the Malawian Government and the Opposition pressure groups reaching a satisfactory agreement on the conduct of the referendum.
Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to provide assistance on request to the two main opposition political parties in Malawi for printing of leaflets and posters for the referendum on a multi-party system.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd: We have made it clear to both the Malawian Government and the political pressure groups that we shall not become involved in any way in the campaigning leading up to the referendum.