§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the functions of the Government Information Services Department within the Hong Kong Government; and how they relate to the police and to the armed services where functions overlap.
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§ Mr. LuceThe Information Services Department—ISD — is the Hong Kong Government's link with the media and through them the people of Hong Kong. Its news, public relations and publicity divisions provide direct 24-hour contact with the media, keep the Government informed of public opinion expressed in the media and carry out promotional, publicity and creative activities.
The Royal Hong Kong police carry out information and publicity work through their police public relations branch which is staffed by police and staff seconded from ISD. Publicity for the British forces in Hong Kong is handled by the joint services public relations service, which operates independently from the Hong Kong Government and entirely on behalf of the armed services.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was (a) the cost of air fares, (b) the cost of hotel accommodation and (c) the cost of official hospitality of hon. Members who were invited to Hong Kong by the Hong Kong Government since May 1979 to the latest date.
§ Mr. LuceThe costs incurred by the Hong Kong Government in respect of hon. Members whom they have invited to Hong Kong since May 1979 have been as follows:
The cost of hospitality cannot be assessed accurately as this was met from a variety of sources.
- a) Air fares Hong Kong dollars 445,000
- b) Hotel accommodation: Hong Kong dollars 126,000
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if consideration will be given to the appointment of a Chinese Governor for Hong Kong.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if there are any plans to have an elected urban council in Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LuceOf the 30 members of the urban council, 15 are directly elected on a constituency basis. Hong Kong's constitutional development is kept under constant review.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if there are any plans to have a directly elected legislative council in Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LuceHong Kong's constitutional development is kept under constant review. The development and extension of a system of district administration, which contains an elected element, is a demonstration of this.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is satisfied with the industrial relations with Government employees in Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. LuceYes. The Hong Kong Government are making full and effective use of the central and departmental consultative machinery they have built up in recent years.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if there are any plans to involve the trade unions more closely in the administration of Hong Kong.
§ Mr. LuceAt present the trade unions in Hong Kong are consulted on labour matters, including proposed legislation, through their elected representatives on the tripartite labour advisory board. There are no plans to involve trade unions as such more closely in the administration of Hong Kong.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if there are any plans to appoint an ombudsman in Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LuceNo. Existing channels for dealing with individual grievances or appeals against Government decisions are considered satisfactory.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent industrial action on the mass transit railway in Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LuceThe operating department staff union of the mass transit railway in Hong Kong went on strike at 5 am on 22 January. The strike involved all train operators and was settled at 2 am on 25 January through the conciliation efforts of the Labour Department of the Hong Kong Government. Train services, which had been only slightly affected, resumed normal operation at 5.15 am the same morning.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the names of the hon. Members who have visited Hong Kong at the invitation of the Hong Kong Government over the past three years; and if he will identify the number of occasions in respect of each hon. Member.
§ Mr. LuceThe following right hon. and hon. Members have visited Hong Kong at the invitation of the Hong Kong Government during the past three years:
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Members visiting Hong Kong 1981 February Mr. Ray Whitney Mr. Edward Lyons April Mr. David Steel May Mr. Peter Shore August Mr. George Thomas 1982 January Mr. Michael Jopling 1983 January Mr. Peter Bottomley April Mr. Roland Moyle May Mr. Mark Carlisle Mr. Tony Durant August Mr. Jack Dormand Mr. James Callaghan September Mr. John Lee 1984 January Sir Peter Blaker No Member has been invited more than once during this period.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent consideration has been given to the amendment of the Hong Kong constitution to provide for (a) a Government responsible to an elected legislature, and (b) an elected urban council; and what representations have been made by the Government of the People's Republic of China on these issues.
§ Mr. LuceBoth we and the Government of Hong Kong are keeping Hong Kong's constitutional development under constant review. It is not our practice to disclose confidential diplomatic exchanges with foreign Governments.