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[LORDS]
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[Lord Goronwy-Roberts.] with the High Commissioner for Refugees
taking measures to allow those etnamese,who wish to do so to leave Vietnam in an orderly fashion. It remains to be seen whether that statement repres- ents a genuine change of heart and, if so, how it will work, out in practice.
We in this House tonight, in this debate, and myself, speaking on behalf of Her Majesty's Government, have once more made absolutely clear how we regard this situation, which is not new but which has evolved in terrifying proportions in the last year or so in South-East Asia. I emphasise that it is not susceptible of solution by one country alone. It is an international problem which must be tackled internationally. Conscience is indivisible, and it is the conscience of the world which is gradually being aroused by these practices of mass persecution and mass expulsion, because that is what they amount to.
I am grateful to noble Lords for their contributions to this important debate, and I greatly hope that this debate will help to persuade those who are responsible and those who can make the biggest con- tribution to a solution of this problem to listen to the voice of humanity and reason, as it has been so clearly raised in this House tonight.
Lord ELTON: My Lords, before the noble Lord sits down I should like to ask him whether he has taken on board what I regard as an important proposal; that is, that the Government should look at the means of economic aid to rural develop- ment in Thailand as a means of supporting that country, as a strategic as well as an economic concept.
My
Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS: Lords, yes, indeed. When the Thai Prime Minister called on our Prime Minister a week ago last Saturday—and I was privi- leged to be present at the meeting-he raised this matter. We undertook to look into it to see how much more we could do. My right honourable friend the Minister for Overseas Development is in fact actively examining the possibilities. I think I may say that the upshot may well be favourable.
Answers
WRITTEN ANSWERS
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SCHOOLS: HALF TERM HOLIDAYS
Lord LEATHERLAND asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the appropriate Minister will meet the Half Term Movement and all relevant education and teaching organisations, to discuss the Movement's paper on achieving the same half term dates in all schools.
The MINISTER of STATE, DEPART- MENT of EDUCATION and SCIENCE (Lord Donaldson of Kingsbridge): My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science has no plans to meet the Half Term Movement and other relevant organisations to discuss the Half Term Movement's paper on fixed half term holidays. She has made clear her views on this subject in a recent letter to the Movement.
School holidays are by statute under the control of local education authorities, although subject to the provision of the Schools Regulations 1959. I am sure that education authorities and, where this is their responsibility, the managers or governors or schools, are aware of the inconvenience that may be caused to parents who have children at different schools with different half-term holidays. I fear that a centrally determined date as many problems as it solved.
PROFESSIONAL PILOTS: UPPER AGE LIMIT
1
Lord TREFGARNE asked Her Majesty's Government:
When, if at all, they intend to intro- duce an Order to provide for the imposition of an upper age limit of 60 for most professional pilots.
The PARLIAMENTARY UNDER- SECRETARY of STATE, DEPART- MENT of the ENVIRONMENT (Baroness Stedman): The Government understand that the Civil Aviation Authority have informed interested bodies that they have decided to recommend to the Government
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