DATE 15.2-88 COL. 428/9
427
Written Answers
15 FEBRUARY 1988
127
VOL
Falkland Islands
Mr. Butler: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made on resource assessment work in the Falkland Islands conservation zone.
Mr. Mellor: A data collection and biological research survey programme was instituted by the Falkland Islands Government's fisheries department on the establishment of the Falkland Islands interim conservation and management zone on 1 February 1987. The data is analysed with the assistance of the FIG's scientific advisers, the renewable resources assessment group at Imperial college, who submit regular reports.
Romania
Mr. David Nicholson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has received any requests to make representations to the Romanian Government over the planned and actual destruction of churches and other old monuments in the city of Bucharest; and whether he has made any such representations.
Mr. Mellor: We are aware of the strong concern which exists over the destruction of churches and other historic buildings in Bucharest, and over reports of further planned demolitions. My right hon. and learned Friend reflected this concern in his discussions with the Romanian Foreign Minister in London in November 1987.
EC (Border Controls)
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on plans to end border controls in western Europe by 1992.
Mrs. Chalker: The Single European Act commits member states to work towards completing the single market by the end of 1992. We wish to see obstacles to the legitimate movement across frontiers of people, goods and services reduced as far as possible. This must be done in a way which preserves our ability to take measures to control immigration, combat terrorism, crime and drug trafficking and maintain essential safeguards for human, animal and plant health in accordance with the Single European Act.
PLO (Training)
Mr. Janner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will institute an inquiry into the training of militamen from the Palestine Liberation Organisation in battleground communications, provided by Racal Ltd. in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Mellor: No. The question of the alleged sale of radio equipment by Racal Ltd. to the Palestine Liberation Organisation in 1981 is currently under investigation, as my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Corporate Affairs told the House on 2 February.
Northern Ireland (US Visits)
Mr. Livingstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many locally and nationally elected United States politicians have been
Written Answers
428
M
invited during each of the last 10 years to visit Northern Ireland at public expense; what positions they held; what was the full cost in each case; how many were involved in each party; how many brought their spouses or other relatives; and in those cases, who paid.
Mrs. Chalker: The table shows United States politicians who have visited Northern Ireland at the invitation and expense of the United Kingdom Government in each year from 1981 to 1987, and the number of relatives who are recorded as accompanying each one. In none of these cases were the expenses of a relative met by the United Kingdom Government. The total cost of all these visits, including travel between Belfast and London, hotel charges and meals, but excluding Government staff time and transport is estimated (at 1987 prices) at £9,000. It is likely that all the visits formed a part of a wider programme which covered other areas of the United Kingdom. The other information sought in the question is not available.
1981
1982
1983
The Hon. Thomas Hynes, Assessor of Cook County,
Illinois.
1984
Mr. Richard Bauman, Member of the Oregon House of
Representatives.
1985
Lieutenant Governor George Ryan of Illinois (with one
relative).
1986
1987
The Hon. Michael Madigan, Speaker, Illinois House of
Representatives (with one relative).
Mr. Jack Kubik, Member, Illinois House of
Representatives.
Senator Royal Bolling, Senator, State of Massachusetts.
Heysel Stadium
Mr. Heffer: To ask the Secretary of State for Foriegn and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made, in the light of the expected duration of the case and the volume of evidence, of the adequacy of legal aid available in Belgium to assist the lawyers acting for the defendants extradited in the Heysel stadium case; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Mellor: The Belgium authorities have appointed lawyers to represent the detainees. British legal aid is not available oversees. British consular officers continue to monitor the case closely.
Hong Kong (Delegations)
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the members of each delegation from Hong Kong that has been received by Ministers in his Department since May 1979, giving the dates of each such meeting.
Mr. Mellor (holding reply 1 February]: Ministers have received the following Hong Kong delegations since May 1979:
October 1979:
Four members of the Urban Council: Mrs. Elsie Elliot
A
S
F
S
A
}
218
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.