·H.K, 87
RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No.31 1 ADEC 1968
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Written Answers
16 DECEMBER 1968
Conference, The Hague. (Parliamentary Delegation)
Mr. Roebuck asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why he paid travelling expenses to certain hon. Members to go to a conference at The Hague on 9th-10th November; and what advice he sought from outside his Department on the list of Members to whom expenses should be paid.
Mr. Mulley: Travelling expenses were paid in order to ensure that a British Parliamentary delegation of appropriate size took part in this important con- ference which met to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the Congress of Europe and to consider how to con- tinue progress
towards European integration.
The answer to the second part of the Question is none, since my right hon. Friend was not concerned in the selection of Parliamentarians for the British delegation.
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North Atlantic Assembly
Mr. Peel asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will propose to the Council of the North Atlantic Alliance that the North Atlantic Assembly should be made an officially recognised institu- tion of the Alliance/
Mr. Mulley: While we accept in principle the objective of an official North Atlantic Assembly, this would re- quire the agreement of the whole alliance. Meanwhile we fully support the new arrangements made this year to achieve a closer relationship between the Assembly and the North Atlantic Council.
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Byelorussian Language Broadcasts (Cost)
Mr. Dodds-Parker asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what he estimates to be the extra financial cost to the British Broadcasting Corporation of a normal foreign language service in Byelorussian.
Mr. Goronwy Roberts: The extra cost to the British Broadcasting Corporation of, for example, a daily half-hour broad-
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Written Auswers,
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cast in Byelorussian would be of the order of £25,000 per annum on the assumption that suitable time could be found for it on an existing transmitter.
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H. Hong Kong (Detainees)
Mr. Parkyn asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how man persons are being kept in prison in Hong Kong without trial; how long they have been interned; how many are Chinese and how many Hong Kong citizens; and if he will ask the Hong Kong Government either to release them or send them for trial.
Mr. Goronwy Roberts: Sixteen persons are at present held in Hong Kong under detention orders issued under Regulation 31 of the Emergency (Principal) Regula- tions. The orders have been in force for periods varying from six months to fifteen months in one case; this order having been renewed on its expiration. All the detainees are of Chinese race; six claim to have been born in Hong Kong. As regards the last part of the Question I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply my hon. Friend the Under- Secretary gave to the hon. Member for Richmond, Surrey (Mr. A. Royle) on 10th December, 1968. [Vol. 775, c. 86-7.]
Mr. Rankin asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will state the number of Chinese journalists at present imprisoned in Hong Kong, the charges against them and the periods of sentence in each case ; and whether any journalists are among the 30 or more Chinese at present held under detention in Hong Kong without trial.
Mr. Goronwy Roberts: There are seven Chinese journalists now serving prison sentences in Hong Kong. Five of these were convicted on charges of utter- ing an inflammatory speech and of inti- midating assembly. They each received a sentence of three years imprisonment. The sixth was convicted on charges of unlaw- ful assembly possession of an instru- ment fit for unlawful purposes; resisting received a sentence of five years imprison- arrest and assaulting a police officer. He
ment. The seventh journalist was con- victed on charges involving interference in court proceedings and of obstructing the police in the performance of their
DATE 16Dec 1968 16.D.06.1968.
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