§ 1. Mr. GallieTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations with Singapore.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Alastair Goodlad)Our relations with Singapore are excellent and are particularly close in the fields of trade, education and defence.
The Singapore Prime Minister, Mr. Goh Chok Tong, paid a very successful visit to this country two weeks ago, during which he had wide-ranging discussions with my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and other colleagues. The two Prime Ministers agreed that every effort should be made to maintain and strengthen our ties. Singapore is our largest export market in south-east Asia. British exports last year grew by 24 per cent., and are now worth £1.4 billion. My right hon. Friend and Mr. Goh agreed to the establishment of a Singapore-British business council further to enhance co-operation between the private sectors of our countries, including in third countries such as China and Vietnam.
§ Mr. GallieI thank my right hon. Friend and particularly welcome his comments on the trading links. Did my right hon. Friend discuss with Ministers in the Singapore Government the issue of law and order and the means by which they had controlled vandalism and crimes of violence—in particular, the use of corporal punishment? If so, has my right hon. Friend discussed those issues with our right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary?
§ Mr. GoodladI shall refer my hon. Friend's views to my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary.