§ 93. Mr. A. Royleasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs if he will give an assurance that, in view of Hong Kong's benefit to the free world, Her Majesty's Government will continue to defend Hong Kong and safeguard its trade and people from internal and external threat.
§ Mr. George Thomson:Yes. As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said to the House yesterday, there is no question of reducing the strength or the effectiveness of the Hong Kong garrison. Her Majesty's Government remain unchanged in their determination to maintain their authority in the Colony and to discharge their full responsibilities towards Hong Kong and its people.
616Wappointed in accordance with the relevant Act and regulations. Under these enactments the power of appointment is vested in county and county borough councils, which have complete discretion within the prescribed qualifications. I should regard it as wholly unreasonable to add proficiency in the Welsh language to these, but any parent in Wales who wishes for bilingual registration of a birth can make a declaration to any Welsh-speaking registrar in Wales.