£859
Written Answers
[(v) Sze Lai Shoe Co.::..
11 FEBRUARY 1977
>>>
A statutory offer of SHK15,800 was made.
The Lands Tribunal awarded compensa tion of SHK21,024. It appears likely that alternative premises for the shoe shop will be obtained.
(vi) Yuen Fat Store:
A statutory offer of SHK22,815 was made. The No settlement has been reached. owner's claim is likely to be referred to the Lands Tribunal in the near future.
(vii) Wing Luen Tailors:
A statutory offer of SHK35,210 was made.
The final settlement was $HK55,895-77. It is not known whether this business has been re-establishd elsewhere.
The owners of the businesses whose claims are outstanding have been paid advances of compensation in the amount of the original statutory offers. Because it took some time to obtain the evidence on which to base statutory offers, these were preceded by ex gratia offers of cash assistance at a rate of SHK40 per square foot of business area occupied and lower rates for ancillary uses. The ex gratia offers were, however, refused.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Saudi Arabia (Ministerial Visit)
Mr. Powell asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the outcome of the recent visit of a Northern Ireland Minister to Saudi Arabia.
Mr. Concannon: I visited Saudi Arabia on 8th and 9th February in conjunction with a Northern Ireland trade mission to that market. In the course of my visit I had discussions with the Saudi Minister of Commerce, the Saudi Minister of Industry and Electricity, the Secretary General of the Royal Commission for Yanbu and Jubail and the President of the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce. I also gave interviews to the Saudi Press and visited a dairy farm project being undertaken by a Northern Ireland firm.
The objective of my visit was to give support to the members of the trade mission and to make contacts at a high level with Saudi Government Depart- ments and other influential bodies. Some very good contacts have been made and it is hoped to build on those. While some of the mission members are already re-
11 C 9
+
}
Written Answers
860
porting encouraging business prospects, the real benefits of the mission can only "be reaped in the longer term.
t
Departmental Offices
Mr. Cohen asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to centralise the offices of his Department in Belfast.
Mr. Mason: New accommodation is becoming available within the Stormont Estate which will enable staff to be re- deployed and centralised. As part of this process the house at Laneside, Craigavad, which has been used as office and domestic accommodation, will no longer be required, and arrangements are being made for its disposal.
SOCIAL SERVICES
*****
Mentally Handicapped Persons
Dr. Vaughan asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many places are available in adult training centres for the mentally handicapped in England and Wales in each local authority; and in which authorities the places available are lower than indicated in his Depart- ment's guidelines.
༔་ Mr. Moyle: The number of places available on 31st March 1976 in adult training centres for the mentally handi- capped and severely mentally handi- capped in each local authority in England and Wales was as in the table below. The planning targets for adult training centre places set out in the White Paper
"
Better Services for the Mentally Handi- capped were estimated to take about 20 years to achieve nationally." It was recognised that some authorities had greater gaps in services to make up than others depending on the stage of develop- ment of their services at the time. was, therefore, left to each authority to work out its own programme and no timetable was set by which individual progress could be judged year by year.
ENGLAND
NORTHERN REGION: NON-METROPOLITAN COUNTIES
..
Cleveland Cumbria Durham Northumberland
It
436
368
486
266
(4
Cout a
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.