BOX.
81
Written Answers
Annex 'B
20 APRIL 1982
bl islanders to resume their former way of life and their heedom to do as they wish. We have no evidence of any islanders now wishing to emigrate being prevented from doing so by the occupying forces, but would of course do all we could to help, were such clear wishes expressed.
Mr. George Gardiner asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the measures taken by individual member States of the European Community prior to the decision by the Council of Ministers in support of the United Kingdom in the dispute with the Argentine Government over the Falkland Islands.
Mr. Pym: On 2 April, the day of the invasion, the Ten Foreign Ministers of the European Community countries issued a joint statement condemning the Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands and calling for the withdrawal of Argentine Forces. In the course of the following week, all the Community Governments supplying arms to Argentina took decisions to place complete embargoes on all such arms sales. This was announced in a joint statement by the Ten Foreign Ministers on 10 April, together with their decision that the Community should impose a ban on all imports from Argentina. The statement also expressed strong support for United Nations Security Council resolution No. 502. A number of Community partners had by that time also ceased issuing new official export credit guarantees for exports to Argentina, and most others have done so since.
Diplomatic Immunity
Mr. Richard Shepherd asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the respective numbers of employees covered by diplomatic immunity at the Soviet embassy and trade delegation in the United Kingdom and at the British embassy in Moscow.
Mr. Rifkind: There are at present 43 Soviet officials with diplomatic status at the Soviet embassy in London. At the Soviet trade delegation only the trade representative and his two deputies have diplomatic status. They are included in the embassy total. There are 41 members of staff with diplomatic status at the British embassy in Moscow.
Gibraltar
Mr. Silvester asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans exist for the reopening of the Gibraltar frontier and the implementation of other aspects of the Lisbon statement.
Mr. Hurd: It has been agreed between the British and the Spanish Governments that the start of negotiations on Gibraltar and the re-establishment of direct communica- tions, which were due to take place on 20 April, should be postponed until 25 June. Her Majesty's Government remain committed, as in the Lisbon statement, to starting negotiations aimed at overcoming all the differences between the two sides over Gibraltar, to reopening
direct Communications and to developing closer' understanding between those directly concerned in the area. The Spanish Government have stated that they share this commitment.
Written Answers
SCOTLAND
Mental Hospitals (Patient Statistics)
82
Mr. Ernie Ross asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the number of patients resident in mental hospitals in Scotland in each year since 1970; and what has been the corresponding percentage change.
Mr. John MacKay: The average number of psychiatric beds occupied in mental hospitals in Scotland in each year since 1970 and the corresponding percentage change have been as follows:
Number
Index
Year ending 30 September
1970
18,102
100.0
1971
17,861
98-7
1972
17,564
· 97-0
1973
17,242
95.2
1974
17,065
94.3
1975
16,412
90-7
1976
16,371
90-4
1977
16,101
88-9
1978
15,819
87.4
1979
15,407
85-1
1980
15,108
83-5
Mr. Ernie Ross asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of beds in mental hospitals are occupied by each of the following groups suffering from (a) schizophrenia, (b) manic-depressive psychoses and c) senile dementia.
Mr. John MacKay: The number of hospital in-patients with these diagnoses and the percentages of the available psychiatric beds they occupied at 31 December 1979, the latest date for which figures are available, was as follows:
All diagnoses Schizophrenia
Manic depressive psychosis Senile psychosest
No. of
Patients
Percentage Available
beds*
15,705
91-5
4,681
27-3
1,345
7-8
3,251
18.9
*Available staffed beds-average-year to 31 March 1980 in mental illness specialties mental illness, psycho-geriatric, child psychiatric and adolescent psychiatric. Total beds=17,168.
† Senile psychoses includes senile dementia, pre-senile dementia and
arteriosclerotic dementia.
National Land Register
Mr. Donald Stewart asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to initiate the compilation of a national land register for Scotland.
Mr. Younger: I have no plans in mind apart from the gradual extension of the land register under the Land Registration (Scotland) Act 1979.
Secondary Pupils (Accidents)
Mr. John Smith asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many accidents to pupils occurred in secondary schools in Scotland since August 1980; and how many of these took place during physical education lessons.
Mr. Younger: This information is not held centrally. Education authorities keep such records and also have an
41
Page 15Page 16
203
FET
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.