TNAG-1143-FCO40-1423-Hong-Kong-and-the-Falkland-Islands-crisis-1982 — Page 95

(2) what future campaigns are planned to encourage the take up of benefits.

Mr. Newton: pursuant to his reply 23 June 1982, c. 127]: The Government's policy is to do everything practicable to bring the availability of social security benefits to the notice of the public by a continuing wide range of measures supplemented by "one-off" exercises, having regard to the resources needed to handle the resulting claims. For example, we have sent individual letters to 255,000 people whose child benefit books were in one name only and who might, therefore, have been eligible for one-parent benefit; this resulted in 8,000 more one-parent families getting an additional £3.30 a week. The letter also covered family income supplement. By the end of February 1982, the number of FIS awards had reached 137,000; this included 65,000 one-parent families.

On supplementary benefit, a range of take-up measures now includes issue of the leaflet SB1 to unemployed claimants; and we are now extending this to recipients of sickness benefit after eight weeks benefit. All retirement pensioners and widows are invited to claim. Leaflets and posters are on display at post offices and in our local offices. Our policy is to co-operate as fully as possible at local level with campaigns run by local authorities, provided they are well-targeted and do not lead to fruitless work or disrupt the flow of benefits to claimants. Such co- operation has recently taken place in Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Cleveland and is planned in Brighton. The hon. Lady may also be interested to know that Greenock local office is mounting a take-up campaign of its own.

A pictorial insert advertising one-parent benefit and FIS is now being included in all child benefit order books; this enables us constantly to reach all families with children. We are seeking the help of local authorities, employers and trades unions in publicising FIS; and the benefit will be advertised again on television and in the press at the coming uprating. We are also experimenting with the use of microcomputers in the provision of information on benefits.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

ร

Radiological Pollution

36. Mr. David Atkinson asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to complete his negotiations with the French Government for an agreement on bilateral emergency warning arrangements in the event of the risk of radiological pollution.

Mr. Hurd: The negotiations for a formal agreement are nearing completion and I hope that it will come into force before the end of the year.

Falkland Islands.

* 37. Sir Anthony Royle asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he has taken to show appreciation to the Uruguayan embassy in London for the assistance that authorities in Montevideo have given to wounded British servicemen during the Falklands war,,je mog

121

DATE 28.6.82 COL. 238-239

2J0

by. 187

Mr. Onslow: I invited the Uruguayan ambassador call on 25 June, and took the opportunity to express the warm appreciation of the British Government to the Uruguayan authorities for the humanitarian assistance which they have given in a number of ways during the Falkland Islands conflict, including over the return home via Montevideo of British casualties.

Mr. Arnold asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list by grade the number of officials now responsible to him in the Falkland Islands.

Mr. Hurd: The following staff have arrived shortly arrive in the Falklands:

1 Civil Commissioner (Senior Grade)

1 Political Adviser (DSS)

1 Press Officer (DS5)

1 Registrar/Administration Officer (DS9)

They will be reinforced in the next day or two by;

1 Assistant to the Governor (DS7)

1 Registrar (DS10)

2 Secretaries (S2)

Three technical

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officers

(oversees

co-operation

development Administration) are employed on the

grasslands field trial:

1 Veterinary Officer

1 Sheep Husbandry Officer

1 Goose Ecologist

Four other members of the trial team will travel to the Falkland Islands as soon as practicable:

1 Agronomist

1 Assistant Agronomist

1 Animal Husbandry Expert

1 Agricultural Biochemical Laboratory Technician

Mr. Trotter asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government will meet the cost of repairs to civilian property damaged as a result of the invasion of the Falkland Islands.

Mr. Onslow: The task force on the islands is giving all the assistance it can over repairs that are urgently required. One of the priority tasks of the civil commissioner is to assess and

report on further requirements. The Government will give urgent attention to his assessment.

.

Mr. Shersby asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements Her Majesty's Government have made to handle work on immediate problems of rehabilitation in the Falkland Islands.

Mr. Onslow: A start has been made on the urgent task of rehabilitation. A great deal of work will need to be done and the Government attach a high priority to it. A Falkland Islands rehabilitation unit has been established in the South America department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Its principal task will be to co-ordinate rehabilitation work, in consultation with other Government Departments concerned and with the Falkland Islands Government.

Sir Anthony Royle asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, in addition to the obligations of Her Majesty's Government, and the availability of the South Atlantic fund referred to in his answer of 24 June to the hon. Member for Richmond, Surrey, he will request the Govennor of Hong Kong to launch a fund supported by both the Hong Kong Government and the public to provide extra financial

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