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Written Answers
J
12 FEBRUARY 1981
Mr. Blaker: on 11 February there were 22.353 Vietnamese refugees still in Hong Kong.
Malawi (British Detainees)
Mr Patrick McNair-Wilson asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make urgent representations to the President of Malawi to secure either the release or the trial of those Britons who have been held without trial in that country for considerable periods; and he will make a statement.
Mr Luce: The only United Kingdom national in custody in Malawi was tried and convicted of theft in April 1980. Seven other British residents have been charged with offences. I have already made representa- tions at the highest possible level about bringing promptly to trial six of them charged with fraud. Two cases have been heard, but verdicts are awaited. Two are due for trial on 23 February and the others are due to follow soon. We continue to keep the situation under close review, and to press the author- ities for speedy completion of the cases.
Dependent Territories (Populations)
Mr Shersby asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will publish in the Official Report in tabular form the num- ber of inhabitants, according to the latest available information, of the following British dependent territories: the Colonies of Anguilla, Belize, Bermuda, British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands and Dependencies, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Montserrat, Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands, St Helena and Dependencies, the Soveriegn Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, Turks and Caicos Islands and the Virgin Islands.
Mr Ridley: The latest estimated population figures of the United Kingdom dependent territories are as follows:
Anguilla Belize
Bermuda
British Antarctic Territory British Indian Ocean Territory British Virgin Islands
Cayman Islands
Falkland Islands and Dependencies Gibraltar
Hong Kong
6,500 144,000 57,300
No indigenous population No indigenous population
11,000
16,680
1,800
31,760
5,067,900
Pitcairn Island
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Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands
St. Helena
Ascension Island
Tristan de Cunha
Akrotiri and Dhekelia
Sovereign Base Areas of
Turks and Caicos Islands
Uninhabited 5,200
1,150
320
1,200
7,500
Mr Shersby asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will -publish in the Official Report in tabular form the the number of inhabitants, according to the latest available information, of the following British Depend- ent Territories which are associated states: Antigua, St Christopher, Nevis and Anguilla.
Written Answers
Mr Ridley: The latest available figures are:
Antigua
St. Christopher (St. Kitts) Nevis
Anguilla
73.500
38,000
12.000
6,500
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As no recent census has been carried out in any of these territories, these figures are estimates.
Anguilla was separated from the Associated State of St Kitts-Nevis by Act of Parliament in December 1980.
European Community
Budget Rebates (German Minister's Speech)
Mr. Teddy Taylor asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will take steps to establish from the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany if the speech by their Farm Minister, Mr. Josef Ertl, on the consequences of a lack of agreement in the European Economic Com- munity on fisheries and farm prices for the rebates granted to the United Kingdom in the Council of Ministers' decision on 30 May 1980, represents the view of the Federal German Government; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Ian Gilmour: As my hon. Friend may be aware, the regulations governing payment of the United Kingdom's rebates under the 30 May agreement are in force and substantial payments have already been made. The Government have no reason to believe that any member State does not intend to respect the terms of the agreement.
Education and Science
Teachers (Pensions)
Mr. Ted Fletcher asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, in view of the delay in the payment of arrears of teachers' pensions and of the fact that some teachers have been informed that it may take a year or more before they receive their arrears of pension, if he will recruit extra staff at the super- annuation branch, Darlington, in order to enable the work to be finished earlier.
Dr. Boyson: No. My right hon. and learned Friend considered this possibility last autumn when the need to recalculate the pension of teachers who retired after 1 April 1979 became known. He decided that the recruit- ment of extra staff would not be consistent with the Government's commitment to continued economy in public spending. But extra staff from within the Department were trained and are now working on the recalculations. *
Departmental Staff (Canteen Facilities)
Mr. Beith asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what canteen facilities are available to headquarters staff of his Department.
Mr. Mark Carlisle: A restaurant operated by the Civil Service Catering Organisation provides self- service luncheon facilities and a take-away snack service to the headquarters staff of my Department.
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