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South East Asian Refugees:
[Lord Trefgarne.]
[LORDS]
that 9,330 refugees have been accepted for permanent settlement in Hong Kong, which of course is a number way in excess of any they might be expected to take on purely numerical considerations.
Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS: My Lords, would the Minister agree that his remarks about Hong Kong and the extraordinary efforts which the governor, the Government, and the people of Hong Kong have made to help in this appal- lingly difficult problem, would be greatly appreciated in the Colony? We on this side of the House would like to associate ourselves very markedly with what he and the noble Earl have said about the contribution of Hong Kong to at least a partial amelioration of this immense human tragedy in this part of the world.
Lord TREFGARNE; My Lords, that intervention is, as always, most helpful.
Baroness VICKERS: My Lords, may I ask whether anything can be done to help Belize? They have offered to take 1,000 of these refugees and they cannot get sufficient money to do it. They have approached Geneva and, I gather, also this Government. Is there any chance of getting it? It is a very underpopulated country, and they would be very welcome.
Lord TREFGARNE: My Lords, I am not aware of the particular matter which my noble friend raises. Perhaps I can look into it and get in touch with my noble friend.
Lord PAGET of NORTHAMPTON: | My Lords, would the noble Lord agree that the acceptance of a refugee involves
a
moral obligation to protect him? Would the noble Lord remind the United States of America and Mexico of that fact?
Lord TREFGARNE: My Lords, I think I would want to consider the im- plications of that supplementary.
The Earl of SELKIRK: My Lords, am I correct in thinking that there are some- thing like 50,000 refugees still in Hong Kong, and according to the noble Lord's figures less than 10 per cent. have been found permanent asylum? Is that not quite a lot less than the percentage in
Residence
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almost every other country in South East Asia?
Lord TREFGARNE: No, my Lords; the noble Earl has misunderstood what I said. There are 50,000 or so refugees in Hong Kong presently who are slowly but surely being found permament places around the world; but the fact, as 1 mentioned earlier, that Hong Kong has accepted nearly 10,000 refugees for perma- nent settlement is very satisfactory indeed.
AGRICULTURAL FERTILISERS:
VAT COLLECTION COSTS
Lord ALLERTON: My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
The Question was as follows:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any saving in administrative costs would be made if agricultural fertilisers were exempt from value added tax.
The MINISTER of STATE, TREAS- URY (Lord Cockfield): No, my Lords. Neither exemption nor zero rating of agricultural fertilisers would save adminis- trative costs and might indeed increase them. This is because most manufac- turers of fertiliser would become partially exempt traders, with all the additional complications which that involves. Nor would exemption be in the interests of the farmer himself because it would mean that some tax would be included in the cost of fertilisers and could not be reclaimed against output tax.
Lord ALLERTON: My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that reply. Does it not seem curious to pay one lot of people to collect the tax and another lot to pay it back? Does that not add to the cost?
Lord COCKFIELD: No, my Lords, it does not work like that. If agricultural fertilisers were exempt from VAT it would be necessary for the manufacturers to distinguish between their exempt and their chargeable output, as most manu- facturers of fertilisers also manufacture other chemicals. That would result in a considerable increase in the burden of administration and create considerable problems.
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Parap!
Lord SKELMER is it not a fact that tratively impossible the use to which fe be put at the point far from the possib in the Question we increase them and muddle of the who in the fertiliser indi
Lord COCKFIE noble friend has a what he says is enti
·
Lord MACKIE Lords, is the Ministe free gift a farmer Government is that the VAT back befor of the fertiliser? see that this excelle a stop to?
Lord COCKFIEL glad to hear the r appreciates the effor in this direction.
PARAPLEGI
GA
Baroness VICKEI leave to ask the Que my name on the Or
The Question was
To ask Her M whether they w Paraplegic Olymp held this year.
The PARLIAM SECRETARY of MENT of the EN Bellwin): My Lord Games for the Disa the paraplegics, will in Holland.
Baroness VICKE! thanking my noble may I ask whether custom for the host Olympics to allow theirs in that coun told why that is no occasion? I realis
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