23. Mr. John Mark Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of internal reforms in South Africa.
§ Sir Geoffrey HoweAs I made clear to the House on 23 October [Vol. 84, c. 305–13] we recognise that positive steps have been taken. However, we remain convinced that what is urgently needed now is a dialogue between the South African Government and genuine representatives of the black community.
§ 47. Dame Judith Hartasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy following the report of the United Nations panel for the public hearings on the activities of transnational corporations in South Africa and Namibia.
§ Mr. RifkindWe did not participate in these pblic hearings. We remain convinced that transnational corporations make an important contribution to the goal of peaceful change in South Africa. We shall continue to urge British companies to comply fully with the provisions of the EC code of conduct.
§ 49. Mr. Altonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has made any recommendations to British nationals working in South Africa concerning their future security.
§ Mr. RifkindNo.
§ 55. Dr. Godmanasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the use of sanctions as an instrument of foreign policy in South Africa.
§ Sir Geoffrey HoweWe are opposed to the use of economic and trade boycotts against South Africa since in our view they would be damaging to the prospects for peaceful change and harmful to the black population and to neighbouring countries.
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§ 59. Mr. Hirstasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the current situation in South Africa.
§ Mr. RifkindI refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Peterborough (Dr. Mawhinney) earlier today.
§ 68. Mr. Evansasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government will make it their policy to make representations on grounds additional to humanitarian grounds in cases where the South African Government proposes to execute persons who oppose the apartheid régime.
§ Mr. RifkindThe basis for any representations which we might make must depend on the particular circumstances of the case, but we have usually considered it most appropriate and effective to make representations on humanitarian grounds.
§ 73. Mr. Fatchettasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what facilities his Department provides for trade delegations to South Africa.
§ Mr. RifkindIn accordance with the programme of action which we agreed with our Commonwealth partners at Nassau, we will no longer be funding trade missions to South Africa. The last such mission will end on 6 December. Diplomatic posts in South Africa will, however, continue to provide advice and assistance to individuals or groups who visit South Africa to promote the export of goods and services on the same basis as elsewhere.
§ 74. Mr. Simon Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the South African authorities about restrictions placed on British journalists working in South Africa.
§ Sir Geoffrey HoweI refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick).
§ 79. Mr. John Carlisleasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last discussed the situation in South Africa with His Excellency Dr. Denis Worrall, the ambassador of the Republic of South Africa to the Court of St. James.
§ Sir Geoffrey HoweWe have made our views known to the South African Government at ministerial level on numerous occasions, most recently on 24 October.
§ 81. Mr. Bowen Wellsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the effect of the statement at the Nassau conference of Commonwealth Heads of Government on South Africa has had on that Government's domestic policies towards the black population.
§ Sir Geoffrey HoweWe hope that the South African Government will respond positively to the accord reached by the Commonwealth Heads of Government at Nassau, both in its policies towards the black population and in its co-operation with the proposed Eminent Persons Group.