641
Written Answers
24 FEBRUARY 1984
about these essential changes. In the meantime, I am iving them an assurance that, provided there is isfactory progress towards a major improvement in the quality of the service, which I shall formally review towards the end of 1985, I do not intend to effect changes in their responsibilities in this respect.
EUROPEAN COMMUNITY
Act of European Union
Mr. Spearing asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list in the Official Report, or deposit in the Library, a schedule of the changes which have been made in the text of the draft Act of European Union as recently approved by the Assembly of the European Economic Community since it was debated on 17 June 1982.
Mr. Rifkind: The draft treaty on European Union adopted by the European Parliament on 15 February has no connection with the solemn declaration on European union usually known as the Genscher-Colombo declaration which was signed by Community Heads of Government at Stuttgart on 19 June 1983 and which was deposited in the Library of the House of Commons on 21 June 1983. It was a draft of the latter which was debated by the House on 17 June 1982.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Vietnamese Refugees
Mr. Soley asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong have (a) applied to settle in the United Kingdom and (b) been accepted for settlement in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Rifkind: 24,457 Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong have applied to settle in the United Kingdom since the start of 1979; 12,100 of these have been accepted for resettlement.
Mr. Soley asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will publish a table of the countries to which Vietnamese refugees currently in Hong Kong have applied for settlement and the number each country has accepted for settlement from Hong Kong.
Mr. Rifkind: The information is as follows:
Countries to which refugees currently in Hong Kong have applied
for resettlement
Australia
Belgium
Canada
China
Denmark
France
West Germany
Israel Japan
Netherlands
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Spain
Total number accepted for resettlement
103
230
ސ
23
23
35
United Kingdom
"United States of America
Vanuatu
148
Written Answers
642
Mr. Soley asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Vietnamese refugees are (a) in Hong Kong and (b) in closed camps in Hong Kong.
Mr. Rifkind: 12,809 Vietnamese refugees are currently in Hong Kong awaiting resettlement in third countries; 5,841 of these are in closed camps.
Hong Kong
Mr. Soley asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has for the future of closed refugee camps in Hong Kong.
Mr. Rifkind: The Hong Kong Government keep the need for closed centres under constant review. Any decision on the future of the centres would be taken in the light of the continuing burden imposed by refugees and would depend upon changes in the number of refugees arriving in, and being resettled from, Hong Kong.
GCHQ, Cheltenham
Mr. Canavan asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how his Department will deal with leave requests from staff at Government communica- tions headquarters to lobby hon. Members; and what is the reason for such decision.
Sir Geoffrey Howe: I have nothing to add to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Member for Brentford and Isleworth (Mr. Hayboe) to the hon. Member for Battersea (Mr. Dubs) on 20 February at c. 562.
SOCIAL SERVICES
Cervical Cancer
Mr. Jack Thompson asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he has taken to assess the problems, by scale and increase, of cervical cancer in women under 25 years.
on
Mr. Kenneth Clarke: The Government look to an
the Committee independent specialist group, Gynaecological Cytology, for advice on the age and frequency of cervical screening. The committee's most recent review of policy followed the publication, last year, of research linking cervical cancer and the use of oral contraceptives. The resulting policy was set out in my reply to the hon. Member for Crewe and Nantwich (Mrs. Dunwoody) on 31 October 1983, at c. 293-94.
NHS (Pay)
Mr. Willie W. Hamilton asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the progress made in the negotiations on National Health Service salaries.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke: Pay negotiations for most NHS staff groups not covered by the pay review bodies are conducted in the various Whitley councils. Claims have recently been lodged in the ancillary workers' and ambulance service staffs' councils and are currently being considered by the management sides. No claims for other staff groups have yet been submitted.
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