HC Deb 17 July 1979 vol 970 cc463-5W
Mr. Hooley

asked the Lord Privy Seal (1) how many dwellings have been expropriated by the Hong Kong Government in order to build a depot at Sai Lau Kok for the mass transit railway;

(2) how many shops or commercial premises have been expropriated by the Hong Kong Government in order to build a depot at Sai Lau Kok for the mass transit railway.

Mr. Blaker

Nine permanent buildings containing 339 flats and 50 workshops have been resumed in Sai Lau Kok for this purpose. The project also involves the clearance of temporary domestic, industrial and commercial premises with a population of some 15,000.

Mr. Hooley

asked the Lord Privy Seal what are the precise terms of the Treaty of Peking 1898 relating to compensation for land expropriated in the New Territories of Hong Kong; and what machinery exists to ensure that these terms are observed.

Mr. Blaker

The relevant quotation from the Peking Convention of 1898 reads There will be no expropriation or expulsion of the inhabitants of the District included within the extention, and that if land is required for public offices, fortifications or the like official purposes, it shall be bought at a fair price ". The Governor in Council must first be satisfied that the land is required for a public purpose; the compensation to be offered is then determined by the Lands Tribunal.

Mr. Hooley

asked the Lord Privy Seat what is the basis of valuation of private dwellings or shops expropriated by the Hong Kong Government for clearance or demolition.

Mr. Blaker

The basis of valuation of all premises is their open market value at the time of their reversion to the Crown under the resumption order.

Mr. Hooley

asked the Lord Privy Seal what independent tribunal exists to determine fair compensation to owners of dwellings or shops which are expropriated by the Hong Kong Government.

Mr. Blaker

Such compensation is determined by the Lands Tribunal. The tribunal, which is part of the judiciary, consists of a president and at least one member selected from a panel of 26 suitably qualified members of the public.

Mr. Hooley

asked the Lord Privy Seal what arrangements exist to re-house persons whose dwellings are expropriated and then demolished by the Hong Kong Government in pursuance of planning policies.

Mr. Blaker

Persons in the following categories are offered public housing: (1) occupants of permanent dwellings on leased land resumed by the Crown for a public purpose; (2) squatters living in temporary buildings which were surveyed in 1964. All others affected by clearances are offered temporary accommodation from which they will later be moved into public housing. These offers are conditional on the persons concerned having no alternative accommodation.

Mr. Hooley

asked the Lord Privy Seal what profits have been made (a) by the Government and (b) by private speculators out of the expropriation and subsequent redevelopment of land and property in the course of providing four depots for the mass transit railway in Hong Kong.

Mr. Blaker

Three of the four depot sites do not involve resumption as they are to be constructed on reclaimed land which has not been leased. It is too early to forecast what profits may be made in connection with the remaining depot at Tsuen Wan. Any such profits will be shared between the Mass Transit Railway Corporation, which is wholly owned by

England and Wales United Kingdom
Bankruptcies(a) … … … … … 28,613 29,282
Company liquidations (b)
compulsory … … … … … 11,360 11,716
creditors' voluntary … … … … 15,641 16,641
members' voluntary (c) … … … … 19,961 21,462

Notes:—

(a) covers individual persons and partnerships; figures for England and Wales relate to receiving and administration orders made, those for Scotland to sequestration orders and those for Northern Ireland to adjudication orders, arrangement protection orders and administration orders. The three areas follow different procedures under different Acts but the figures are thought to be broadly comparable.

(b) the numbers are of liquidations begun during the period.

(e) this type of liquidation does not involve insolvency.