PA
581
DATE
24688
ca. 588
JUNE 1988
Written Answers
135 VOL. percentage of officers in each grade and overall in his Department, are women and from ethnic minorities, respectively.
Mr. Eggar: The table for the diplomatic and aid wings show the number of staff in post (counting part-time staff as whole units) broken down into five grade bands. The table also shows in each band the number of women and the number of staff who have identified themselves as coming from an ethnic minority.
Grade1
DS 1-5
DS6-7
Totals
Diplomatic Wing
Ethnic minorities per cent.
9 (0·6) 8 (0·5) 66 (2·9) 4 (3·5)
Staff in post
Women per cent.
1,119
73 (6.5)
1 (0·1)
1,464
198 (13.5)
D$9
1,477
483 (32-7)
DS10 & below
2,260
1,300 (57.5)
Industrial
114
41 (36)
6,434
2,095 (32-6)
88 (1·4)
Aid Wing
Grade
Staff in post2
Women per cent.
HCS 1-7
258
20 (7·8)
3 (1-2)
SEO/HEO
364
90 (24.7)
EO
255
102 (40)
11 (3) 14 (5.5)
AO & below
684
440 (64·3)
Industrial
(---)
Totals
1,561
652 (41.8)
Ethnic minorities per cent.
52 (7·6)
80 (5.1)
1 Includes Home Civil Service equivalent grades in the FCO. 2 Includes staff at home and overseas at 1 May 1988.
Mr. Janner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any plans to improve equality of opportunity for women and for people from ethnic minorities in all grades of his Department, in connection with employment, training and promotion, respectively.
Mr. Eggar: As my right hon. Friend the Minister of State told the hon. and learned Gentleman on 26 May, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is pursuing the 1984 programme of action for women in the Civil Service.
As an equal opportunity employer we recruit nationally and from all sections of society. We shall continue to monitor the proportion of women members of ethnic minorities amongst those who apply to, and join the diplomatic service.
We provide training where appropriate for all members of the diplomatic service irrespective or gender of ethnic origin. We monitor participation on training courses by gender and grade.
We promote those members of the diplomatic service who have shown the ability to do the work of a higher grade irrespective of gender or origin. We shall monitor the promotion of women and officers from ethnic minorities.
The aid wing has similar arrangements.
Cyprus and Turkey
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to seek to
Written Answers
UDF/PM
588
arrange a joint meeting of the Foreign Ministers for Cyprus and Turkey and himself to discuss matters of common interest; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Chalker: We have no plans to seek to arrange such a meeting. The United Nations Secretary-General is working towards an early meeting under his auspices between President Vassiliou of Cyprus and Mr. Denktash, the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, as a prelude to the resumption of intercommunal negotiations. We support the Secretary-General's efforts to arrange this meeting.
Hong Kong Cattle Depot
Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what steps are being taken to relocate the Hong Kong cattle holding depot as a matter of urgency in the light of the overcrowding and health hazards;
(2) what measures are being taken by the Hong Kong agriculture and fisheries department to improve the state of the buildings in the cattle holding depot;
(3) what steps are being taken to improve conditions at the agriculture and fisheries department cattle holding depot in Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement.
(4) if he will make a statement on the conditions prevailing in the agriculture and fisheries department cattle holding depot in Hong Kong.
Mr. Eggar: Conditions at the agriculture and fisheries department holding depot at Ma Tau Kok are adequate. But the buildings which comprise the depot are old and the Hong Kong Government have begun renovative work which should be completed later this year. The depot is not overcrowded.
Average occupancy in the past year has been well within capacity. The cattle-holding areas are washed down twice a day. There is no evidence that the depot is a health hazard.
Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what records are kept of animals arriving and leaving the Hong Kong agriculture and fisheries department cattle holding depot.
Mr. Eggar: The Hong Kong Government agriculture and fisheries department maintain daily records of the animals arriving at and leaving the cattle depot.
Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the average charges to dealers using the Hong Kong agriculture and fisheries department cattle holding depot; and whether this covers provision of bedding and water.
Mr. Eggar: No charge is made if the cattle are to be slaughtered in a public abattoir. A flat charge of one Hong Kong dollar per head is made if they are to be slaughtered in a private abattoir. Because of the climate in Hong Kong there is no requirement for bedding. Water is provided as
necessary.
Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make it his policy to impose full quarantine restrictions together with disease control and veterinary services, in the event of the Hong Kong cattle holding depot being an official agriculture and fisheries department quarantine station; and if he will make a statement;
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