TNAG-1719-FCO40-2399-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1988 — Page 186

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Written Answers

HONG KONG: WHITE PAPER

[ LORDS ]

Agency's

Lord Campbell of Alloway asked Her Majesty's Government:

When the Hong Kong Government White Paper on representative government will be published.

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Glenarthur): The Hong Kong Government White Paper on the development of representative government was published in Hong Kong earlier today. Copies of the White Paper have been placed in the Library of the House. The paper covers a range of issues connected with the development of representative Government. The main decisions are that:

(a) ten directly elected members will be introduced

into the Legislative Council in 1991;

(b) in 1988 the number of appointed members in the council will be reduced from 22 to 20, and the number of members elected by functional constituencies will increase from 12 to 14. In 1991 the present geographically-based electoral college system of election will be abolished, but the urban and regional councils will each continue to elect one member to the council; (c) links between the urban district boards and the

urban council will be strengthened;

(d) the Governor will continue to be the president of the Legislative Council for the immediate future.

COMPLIANCE COST ASSESSMENTS: PUBLICATION

Viscount Mersey asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will take steps to publish lists of compliance cost assessments which departments prepare showing the impact of proposed new government regulations on businesses.

The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (Lord Young of Graffham): Officials in the Enterprise and Deregulation Unit are arranging for a selected list of compliance cost assessments (CCAs) to be published in the Department of Trade and Industry magazine British Business. In addition, departments will arrange for lists of CCAS to be published in appropriate publications and press notices.

"HIB 011/1

SPACE RESEARCH POLICY

Shackleton asked Her Majesty's

Lord Government:

What is their policy on space research.

Lord Young of Graffham: The Government are committed to a programme of scientific research in space and in particular to the European Space

Answers

Horizon 2000 programme.

programme has received a 20 per cent. real terms increase in funding over the last three years, and we are satisfied that the present level of planned funding will enable the objects of Horizon 2000 to be met satisfactorily.

Space can also be a spur to new advances in technology by British industry. It can sometimes be a profitable area of economic activity-for example, in the field of communications. The Government are satisfied that the current level of government expenditure of some £120 million per annum is justified and we will continue to seek to use it in ways which are potentially beneficial for industry. However we do not consider that a case has been established for any increase. My right honourable and learned friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has today confirmed to the European Space Agency that Britain will not be extending its involvement in ESA by taking part in the optional programmes on the Ariane V launcher or the Columbus space station as presently proposed.

•

Earth observation from space, however, could have significant potential. It involves the processing of remote sensing data from satellites and its supply to end-users for a range of applications. Data from the European Space Agency's first remote sensing satellite, to which the UK is contributing, will start to be transmitted by the early 1990s. To process this data we have decided to provide funds, estimated at £4 million per annum over five years, to set up an Earth Observation Data Centre as part of the National Remote Sensing complex at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough.

At present there is little agreement either among manufacturing companies or users on any preferred strategy for future earth observation operations, but the Government will continue to consider the various

DATE 10:72. options open to us.

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493 Vok SEVERELY DISABLED WAR PENSIONERS: BENEFIT SHORTFALL COMPENSATION

Lord Chelwood asked Her Majesty's Government:

By how much the £8 payment being made to severely disabled war pensioners falls short of the compensation they should receive; and why this has not yet been rectified.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Security (Lord Skelmersdale): The £8 payment being made to severely disabled war pensioners falls short of the benefit they would have received over the two-year period from April 1987 to April 1989, had the error in the retail price index not occurred, by amounts which range from a few pounds.to over £50. Very small numbers of war pensioners come into the higher range. The position is complex and it will take time to identify categories of loss. That is why we plan to pay additional compensation in the summer.