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Written
Written Answers
HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT
[LORDS]
Lord Teviot asked Her Majesty's Government:
When the annual report on Hong Kong will be laid before Parliament.
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Young): We are laying the annual report on Hong Kong before Parliament today. It will be published on 20th February.
Answers
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report by the authority on the outcome of this further consideration, and in the light of press accounts of the authority's intentions, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science has instigated further inquiries. His officials wrote to the authority again last month reiterating concern about the authority's reported plans, seeking an urgent explanation of specified aspects of its policies and actions, and asking how these could be reconciled with its powers and duties under the Education Acts and with the law on homosexual activity. A reply is still awaited.
OVERSEAS STUDENTS TRUST REPORT
Lord Brougham and Vaux asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their response to the document published by the Overseas Students Trust, a copy of which has been sent to them.
Baroness Young: On 9th June 1982, the then Secretary of State, Mr. Pym, welcomed the Overseas Students Trust's major report on overseas student policy. The Government now welcome this follow-up report as another constructive contribution to the development of policy in this important sector.
We note that the report fully supports the general lines of the Government's policy to welcome overseas students and to provide awards for a wide range of selected candidates. The report will now be carefully considered in the inter-departmental group overseas student matters, and at the forthcoming round table meeting on overseas student affairs. This latter body involves interested individuals and organisations as well as government departments, and will be chaired by my honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Science, Mr. George Walden.
HARINGEY BOROUGH COUNCIL: POLICY ON HOMOSEXUALITY
Lord Ritchie of Dundee asked Her Majesty's Government:
What was the result of the inquiries made by the Secretary of State for Education and Science in July 1986 into Haringey Borough Council's plans to promote "positive images" of homosexuality in the schools in the Borough.
Baroness Hooper: Haringey Local Education Authority's reply to the inquiries last year indicated that no decisions had then been taken on how its proposed policies on homosexuality might be implemented in relation to schools, pending further consideration by the authority. In the absence of a
DATE 19.09.87
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VOL 484
FRIGATE REPAIR SYSTEM
The Earl of Selkirk asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, in view of the limited number of orders for new frigates which it is proving possible to place, they have considered the reintroduction of thorough mid-life refits for frigates, such as those carried out on some Batch 3 Leanders at the beginning of this decade in order to prolong their effective life.
The Minister of State for Defence Procurement (Lord Trefgarne): No. The mid-life refits for frigates were replaced by a more flexible and cost-effective system of repair periods which not only achieves the necessary maintenance and updating of the warfare capability of these ships but also increase their availability.
LATE ABORTIONS: CONTROL ARRANGEMENTS
Lord Houghton of Sowerby asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they are satisfied with the progress being made to reduce the number of late abortions, by the guidelines and disciplines outlined by the Minister of State for the DHSS in August 1985 at the conference of approved nursing homes under the Abortion Act 1967.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Security (Baroness Trumpington): Yes. At the meeting in August 1985 between departmental officials and representatives of the eight nursing homes in England approved to carry out abortions after 20 weeks, a voluntary agreement was reached that abortions would not be performed after 24 weeks. Subsequently, in February 1986 this voluntary agreement became a condition of approval, and in May 1986, after consultation with medical bodies, guidelines on the estimation of gestational age were issued. On their inspection visits to nursing homes, departmental medical, nursing and investigative officers are carefully monitoring all cases over 20 weeks, and arrangements are working satisfactorily.
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