TNAG-0332-FCO40-368-Visits-of-Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Commonwealth-Af-1972 — Page 34

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Oral Answers

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6 MARCH 1972 Oral Answers than £8 a week? While workers in and it is paid on the same basis. Lancashire have great sympathy for should add that I am answering a Written workers in Hong Kong, they cannot com- Question later today which will give more pete against wages of that kind. Will the details about these matters. right hon. Gentleman please see that the industrialists with whom he speaks make sure that some of the benefits are passed to the workers and that there are not more Chinese millionaires created in Hong Kong?

Sir Alec Douglas-Home: The hon. Gentleman may be interested to know that since 1964 the average industrial It wage rate has risen by 94 per cent. is now the third highest in the Far East, behind only the rates in Japan and Singapore. There has been a great deal of improvement.

European Movement

22. Mr. Milne asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of the £7,500 paid by Her Majesty's Government to the European Movement during the country. wide discussions on Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community was paid to the northern regional officer of the movement; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Rippon: None of Her Majesty's Government's annual grant is paid direct to any of the regional officers of the European Movement. The entire grant in aid is paid by the Foreign and Com- monwealth Office to the London head- quarters of the organisation.

Mr. Milne: Is the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that that is a disappointing reply, because it fails to give those of us in the North East an opportunity of understanding the amount of pressure which was put on people throughout the country during the sup- posedly democratic debate on Britain's entry into the Common Market?

Does

not the right hon. and learned Gentleman realise that pumping money into public. relations offices in the North East or any- where else in the country is not the best way to further democracy in Britain?

Mr. Rippon: As I made quite clear in the House in an answer on 11th June last year, the grant is not available for publicity work directed at opinion in the United Kingdom. It is the same amount as was paid by the previous Government

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Portuguese Foreign Secretary (Visit)

23. Mr. Judd asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the purpose of the invitation to the Portuguese Foreign Secretary to visit Great Britain.

Sir Alec Douglas-Home: When I visited Lisbon last June I invited the Portuguese Foreign Minister to pay a return visit to this country, Dr. Patricio will be coming to Britain from 6th to 10th March for this purpose. This will provide an opportunity for us to discuss bilateral and international matters in which Britain and Portugal have . common interest.

Mr. Judd : Does the right hon. Gentle- man accept that many hon. Members view with considerable concern and some distaste this fresh evidence of new and closer relationships between Britain and Portugal? Will he assure the House that he will leave the Portuguese Foreign Secretary in absolutely no doubt that Britain condemns the lack of basic free- doms in Portugal, condemns the sabotag- ing of sanctions against Rhodesia by Portugal and condemns the wars of colo- niai repression in Mozambique, Angola and Guinea?

Sir Alec Douglas-Home: I will not be led into discussing with the Portuguese Foreign Minister the internal affails of his country. I should be very annoyed if he tried to do that with me. We have different colonial policies in Africa aud This is a proceed on different lines. matter which I can explain to the Port- guese Foreign Minister, and, indeed, he knows it already. However, that is no reason why we should not talk together. We talk together as allies in N.A.T.O. I am glad that Dr. Patricio is coming.

Mr. Biggs-Davison: While the visit would certainly go with a swing if my right hon. Friend did what the hon. Member for Portsmouth, West (Mr. Judd) suggested, might it not be a good idea perhaps, referring to an earlier Question, to take this opportunity of ending the blockading of a Portuguese pert?