06-JUL-1993 14:54
B4 IND LIVERPOOL
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Lord Wyatt of Weeford: My Lords, in view of the obvious feeling in the House that the Government are wrong, will the noble Earl undertake to look at the position again and treat regulations as if they are to be used by human beings, rather than human beings being used by regulations?
A noble Lord: Hear, hear!
Earl Ferrers: My Lords, I was trying to see where that one vote of support came from. The moble Lord, bozů Wyatt, is, I believe, a little wrong it ne concludes that because two or three peuple ask questions of a similar nature to that which he has asked the whole House agrees with him. I considered this case before today's Question, as the noble Lord would aulicipate. I understand the position. He must realise, as I am sure he does, that the number of people who can be given British passports is limited. That was decided two or three years ago. Having decided that, one then has to allocate the numbers fairly between those people. Obviously, some people will be disadvantaged and disappointed. I can only tell the noble Lord that that is what the position is. If he now asks whether we will alter everything that was discussed three years ago, I am bound to say that I do not think that that is very likely.
Lord Stoddart of Swindon: My Lords. I understand what the noble Lord says. But does it not give him some concern that, although we are limiting considerably the number of people from Hong Kong who can come here, the Portuguese will be able to decide and indeed will that 900,000 people from Macao con come here without let or hindrance?
Earl Ferrers: My Lords, WA can only conduct. OUI own affairs correctly. We cannot conduct the affairs of other people in the way we might like to do.
Lord Shackleton: My Lords, I hope that the noble Earl takes this matter seriously. We have been a little distracted over the Portuguese. Here again, the House faces a situation in which we should hang our heads in shame. I remember an occasion (and the noble Earl may remember it too) when this House reversed a decision with regard to the pensions of the Hadrahmi Redouin Legion. The result was that, through the action of this House, the decision by the government of the day was reversed and the soldiers got their pensions. Can the noble Earl, in consultation with his naval colleagues, consider again whether the proportion is right? A decision was taken, but we ack. the Government. to think again.
Berl Farm an
My Lorde, of course I shall consider what the nobie Lord says. I am bound to tell him, however, that the room for manoeuvre is very small unless one is going to alter the totality of the figure of 50,000. What the noble Lord is rexriy suggesting is that a certain proportion within that total should have preferential treatment over the others. While I understand Like Acasons, I think that it would be quite difficult to propose that, but I shall take into account what the noble Lord says.
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