TNAG-0559-FCO40-654-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-into-othe-1975 — Page 35

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Written Answers

28 OCTOBER 1975

for bringing into use, have been deferred as a result of the recent Welsh Office circular on local government expenditure for 1976-77.

Mr. John Morris: No such deferments have been brought to my attention by any county council, out these are matters for local authorities to determine.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH

AFFAIRS

Indian Subcontinent (Emigration) Mr. Lee asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what is the average time currently being taken for the disposal of applica- tions for permanent entry into the United Kingdom made by persons living in India; and if he is satisfied with the time taken :

(2) what is the average time currently being taken for the disposal of applica- tions for permanent entry into the United Kingdom made by persons living in Bangladesh; and if he is satisfied with the time taken.

(3) what is the average length of time currently being taken for the disposal of applications for permanent entry into the United Kingdom made by persons living in Pakistan; and if he is satisfied with the time taken.

Mr. Rowlands: The average waiting time for a first interview remains 16

months in India. 22 months in Pakistan and 18 months in Bangladesh, despite a substantial increase in the number of interviews. I shall not be satisfied until the long waiting periods are drastically reduced. I hope the recent introduction by the Home Secretary of a simplified interview for certain categories of settle- ment applicants will help.

European Parliament (Elections) Mr. Tom Ellis asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he hopes to make a state- ment on the Government's intentions on direct universal suffrage for electing British members of the European Parliament.

Mr. Hattersley: The question of direct elections is currently the subject of dis- cussion in the Community, and we are

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giving it careful study. The Gove.ament's position will be announced in duc course.

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

Mr. Trotier asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government propose to ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1966; and why they have not previously done so,

Mr. Ennals: Our signature of the covenant indicates an intention to ratify in due course. It has been the policy of successive United Kingdom Governments not to assume international legal obliga- tions unless we are first satisfied that these can be fulfilled. The work necessary to determine whether the law and practice of both the United Kingdom and cach depen- dent territory is in conformity with the provisions of an international instrument as wide-ranging as the covenant is extremely involved and, therefore, time consuming.

Hong Kong

Mr. Kenneth Clarke asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many refugees from Vietnam remain in Hong Kong; and what pros- pects there are of finding them permanent homes elsewhere.

Mr. Ennals Of approximately 4,000 Vietnamese refugces who arrived in Hong Kong last May just over 300 remain in Hong Kong. It is hoped that further departures to the United States will reduce this number to about 200 by the end of this month. The prospects of finding permanent homes elsewhere for the majority of the balance remaining are fairly good.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke asked the Secre- tary of State for Foreign and Common- wealth Affairs what proportion of the value of contracts so far awarded for con- struction of the Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway has been won by British firms.

Mr. Ennals: The contracis about to be lei account for approximately one-eighth of the total value involved in the con- struction of the Mass Transit Railway. They cover part of the civil engineering works. Only one British firm was among

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