TNAG-1231-FCO40-1544-Visit-by-Richard-Luce--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Com-1983 — Page 62

387

Written Answers

2 NOVEMBER 1983

Sir George Young: The number of dwelling sales ported by the council are as follows:

НКК

Year

Sales of

dwellings

524

667

1,424

1,258

can i ken

027/20

RECEIVED A REGNIRCHO. 51

980-81

3 - NOV 19832

-DESK OFFICEK

INDEX

FOREIGN

PA

1082 92

COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Uganda (Expropriated Assets)

Mr. Stuart Bell asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance is available through the British High Commission in Kampala to British citizens attempting to pursue claims under Ugandan law for compensation for expropriated

assets.

are

Mr. Raison: If it appears that claimants encountering particular problems, the high commission will be ready to consider making representations to the Uganda Government on their behalf.

Hong Kong

Mr. Fisher asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the progress of talks about the future of Hong Kong.

Mr. Raison: A second, more detailed phase of the Sino-British talks on Hong Kong's future began in July and is continuing through diplomatic channels in Peking. The fifth session of this phase was held on 19 and 20 October. Both sides agreed it was useful and constructive. The next session is on 14 and 15 November.

Mr. Parry asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Minister of State's recent visit to Hong Kong.

Mr. Raison: My hon. Friend the Member for Shoreham (Mr. Luce), visited Hong Kong from 24 to 28 September. He held talks with the governor and senior officials, met members of the executive and legislative councils and undertook an extensive programme of visits during which he met a broad section of the community and brought himself up-to-date with developments in the territory.

Mr. Parry asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many persons have applied for visas for entry into the United Kingdom from Hong Kong since September 1982 to the latest available date; and what was the comparable figures for the previous year.

Mr. Raison: 10,422 applications for visas for entry into the United Kingdom from Hong Kong were made during the period from 1 October 1982 to 30 September 1983. The comparable figures for the previous 12 months was 11,184.

Mr. Parry asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications have been made for entry certificates into the United Kingdom from Hong Kong citizens since September 1982 to the latest available date; and what were the comparable figures for the previous year.

198

Written Answers

388

Mr. Raison: Statistics for entry certificate applications made by British dependent territories citizens deriving this status from Hong Kong are not available.

A total of 13,762 entry certificate applications were received in Hong Kong during the period from 1 October 1982 to 30 September 1983. The comparable figure for the previous 12 months was 16,372.

Sovereign States (Annexation)

Mr. David Atkinson asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all those sovereign states whose incorporation into other states have been recognised by Her Majesty's Government as de facto but not de jure.

Mr. Raison: The Government have recognised that the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have been incorporated de facto into the Soviet Union, but they have not recognised this de jure. No other examples of the situation to which my hon. Friend refers have occurred at least since the second world war.

Human Rights

Mr. Ian Lloyd asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government to initiate further exchange visits between Heads of State or Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom and of those countries which seriously abuse human rights.

Mr. Raison: It is not our normal policy to preclude such visits because of abuses of human rights in the country concerned. In general, we believe that dialogue rather than isolation is the best way of influencing other countries' performance on human rights as in other issues of concern to us. High-level visits can provide good opportunities for bringing our influence to bear.

Chinese Government Consular Office

Mr. Parry asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the latest situation concerning the siting of a consular office by the Chinese. Government in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Raison: Negotiations for a consular agreement between the United Kingdom and the People's Republic of China have proceeded slowly but are now nearly complete. In accordance with the Chinese Government's preference, the draft agreement currently under discussion provides for the Chinese consulate-general in the United Kingdom to be established at Manchester.

Cultural Agreements

Mr. Roy Hughes asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with how many countries the United Kingdom has agreements similar to the United Kingdom/Union of Soviet Socialist Republics cultural agreement; what consultation procedures are entered into prior to the signing of such agreements; and what is the cost of maintaining these agreements.

Mr. Raison: There are no countries with which the United Kingdom has agreements similar to the United Kingdom-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics cultural agreement.

DATE 2:11.83 COL. 3.87

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