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301
COL Written AnsWEEN
27 JULY 1988
table
Conference on 13 April andet British organisations active in South Africa on 21 April. Officials received a delegation from the British Council of Churches on 18 May. In addition we have received letters from MPs. charities, political organisations. Churches, trades unions and members of the public.
Mr. Allen Mckay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he proposes to take in the light of the South African Government's proposed legislation restricting the activities and funding of peaceful opposition groups in South Africa; and if he will make it his policy to support the EEC special programme for the victims of apartheid.
Mrs. Chalker: We support wholeheartedly the European Community's special programme for the victims of apartheid and are committed to its future success. As a consequence of our repeated representations, both bilaterally and jointly with our European partners, the South African Government are in no doubt as to our opposition to the draft "Promotion of Orderly Internal Politics" Bill.
Saudi Arabia (Social Insurance Contributions)
Mr. David Nicholson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what developments he can report towards the refunding of contributions to British citizens by the General Organisation for Social Insurance in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia following the March 1987 Saudi royal decree removing expatriates from the social insurance system: and if he will make a
statement.
Mrs. Chalker: The refund of the General Organisation for Social Insurance (GOSI) contributions is a matter for the Saudi Arabian authorities. HM ambassador in Saudi Arabia is doing everything he properly can to hasten the refund of these contributions. He (and other ambassadors there) call periodically on the Saudi Minister responsible for the GOSI matters to underline our wish to see that these claims are settled as soon as possible.
Nuclear Safety
Dr. Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy, Official Report, 14 June, columns 122-123 whether the European Commission report to which he makes reference has now been published; what was the basis on which he came to the understanding that no breach of the ECC safeguards regime had taken place; and what steps he took to reach the conclusion that the investigation was thorough.
Mrs. Chalker: The European Commission report has not yet been published. On the question of lack of breach of EEC safeguards I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Putney (Mr. Mellor), gave to the hon. Member for Bradford, South (Mr. Cryer) on 10 February 1988 at column 234.
The commission investigation has involved numerous visits by a team of experts to nuclear installations, site inspections, round table discussions and examination of records. We see no reason to doubt its thoroughness.
Written AnswATS
MEO 384//rinemers
(China)
302
Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State For Foreign and Commonwealth Altans what action he has taken in the light of the recent all-party parliamentary report on ill-treatment of prisoners in Chinese prisons, a copy of which has been sent to him; whether he has made special representations on behalf of prisoners to be transferred to China in 1997 from Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Chalker: We have not received a copy of the document described. But as for Hong Kong, the Sino- British joint declaration and the draft Basic Law both make clear that the legal and judicial systems in the future Hong Kong special administrative region will be separate from those of the People's Republic of China; and that the laws currently in force in Hong Kong will remain basically unchanged, save for any that contravene the Basic Law.
Any prisoners held in Hong Kong gaols in 1997 will become the responsibility of the Hong Kong special administrative region. not of China.
Diplomats (Removal)
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy with regard to seeking the removal from the United Kingdom of diplomats detained by the United Kingdom authorities and who have been appointed to permanent missions in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a
statement.
Mrs. Chalker: Where it is alleged that a member of the staff of a diplomatic mission has committed a criminal offence, we follow the policy laid down in paragraphs 57 to 73 of the White Paper "Diplomatic Immunities and Privileges" (April 1985: Cmnd. 9497).
Diplomatic Immunity
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidance is issued to members of the diplomatic corps with regard to the precise point at which their diplomatic immunity takes effect in relation to a particular posting.
Mrs. Chalker: None. The point at which immunity takes effect is covered by the provisions of article 39 of the Vienna convention on diplomatic relations, which will be known to the sending state.
Malaysia
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all meetings which Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia, or his staff, have had with officials of his Department, since March 1983 together with the persons attending and the substance thereof; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Chalker: My right hon. and learned Friend's most recent meetings with Dr. Mahathir were in July 1987 (during Dr. Mahathir's visit to the United Kingdom) and in April 1988 (during my right hon. and learned Friend's visit to Malaysia). I met Dr. Mahathir during the September 1987 CPA conference in Malaysia.
We have regular contact with the Malaysian Government on a wide range of issues, both in London
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