§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords. I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government how many cases have been investigated by the Independent Commission Against Corruption in Hong Kong; in how many cases action was recommended; and in how many cases did the Attorney General agree to action.
§ The PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE, FOREIGN and COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (Lord Goronwy-Roberts)My Lords, up to 5th May, 1975, 1,420 investigations had been launched by the Independent Commission Against Corruption and there had been 187 prosecutions. The Attorney General agreed to action in all cases except one.
§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords, I thank the Minister for his reply. Taking into consideration the time the Commission have been sitting, would he not say that the number of proceedings taken is rather small? Is he satisfied that the staffing and the concentration of the Commission are sufficient?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, the Independent Commission have been in operation effectively for barely a year. A good deal of that time was necessarily spent upon preparatory work, because this is a complex operation dealing with a very long-standing problem. So far as staffing is concerned, the present establishment is something over 300 and it is now being augmented. Naturally, 192 Her Majesty's Government will do everything they can to assist the Commission in promoting this inquiry and these investigations, and, as I have said, we stand ready to assist in every possible way.
§ Lord HAILSHAM of SAINT MARYLEBONEMy Lords, did I understand the noble Lord to say that there had been more than a thousand prosecutions? Is that really a small number?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, I am grateful for the noble and learned Lord's question, which enables me to repeat figures which are rather difficult to put over on these occasions. Up to 5th May of this year the number of investigations was 1,420 and there were 187 prosecutions—
§ Lord HAILSHAM of SAINT MARYLEBONEMy Lords, 100?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, 187 prosecutions deriving from that number of investigations have been promoted. I would say that in the time the Commission have been operative the number of investigations is a very large one, and that the number of prosecutions is a very high one.
§ Lord SEGALMy Lords, would my noble friend not agree that this is very much a long-term problem and that the Commission will have to continue their sittings for quite a long time ahead?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSYes, indeed, my Lords. As I have said, the problem is deep-rooted and of longstanding. It will take much more than a year to deal satisfactorily with this very difficult problem.
§ Lord KINNAIRDMy Lords, in view of the great success of Her Majesty's visit overseas, may I ask the Minister whether he considers today to be an undiplomatic time to put such a Question?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, I do not think that the two things are mutually incompatible. I am sure that the remarkably successful overseas visit which is being paid by Her Majesty —quite as successful as every other overseas visit she has paid—will encourage 193 everybody who wants to see the dependencies, as well as the Commonwealth, generally progress along the right lines.