§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will institute an independent judicial inquiry into cases in which Mr. Warwick Reid was involved during his employment in the Department of the Attorney-General of Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MaudeIn view of the continuing inquiries being conducted by the independent commission against corruption, it is not my intention to institute an independent judicial inquiry.
§ Mr. Nicholas BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimates he has as to the number of Hong Kong citizens who have emigrated to(a) Canada, (b) Australia, (c) the United States of America and (d) the United Kingdom in each of the past 10 years.
§ Mr. MaudeEstimates of emigration are available only on an aggregated basis. According to Hong Kong Government estimates, emigration from Hong Kong in each of the last 10 years was:
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Number 1980 22,400 1981 18,300 1982 20,300
Number 1983 19,800 1984 22,400 1985 22,300 1986 19,000 1987 30,000 1988 45,800 1989 42,000 Over 90 per cent. of these went to Canada, Australia and the United States.
During the past 10 years the number of BDTCs and BN(O)s from Hong Kong accepted for settlement in the United Kingdom was:
Number 1980 1,710 1981 1,450 1982 1,070 1983 1,050 1984 1,040 1985 950 1986 880 1987 920 1988 1,150 1989 1,360
§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of the sale by the Hong Kong authorities of confiscated animal tusks, skins or antlers and other products during 1989; and what other methods of disposal were employed.
§ Mr. Waldegrave[holding answer 29 March 1990]: No sale of confiscated animal tusks, skins, or antlers was conducted during 1989. Methods of disposal included releasing live specimens to the wild where appropriate, sending specimens to zoos, educational and scientific institutions or other CITES authorities, and incineration of perishable items.
§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when was the last auction in Hong Kong of endangered species products seized by the authorities; what items were auctioned; and how much was realised.
§ Mr. Waldegrave[holding answer 29 March 1990]: The last sale of seized products of CITES appendix II species was conducted in February 1988. The items offered for sale included ivory, reptile skins, deer antlers, American ginseng, fur skins of otter and wildcat skins. Some HK $2 million was realised.
§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many prosecutions were initiated by the Hong Kong authorities in the second six months of 1989 arising from illegal imports, exports and possession of endangered species.
§ Mr. Waldegrave[holding answer 29 March 1990]: In the second half of 1989 the Hong Kong authorities initiated a total of 92 prosecutions arising from illegal imports, exports and possession of endangered species.
§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many restaurant inspections were carried out by the Hong Kong authorities in the second six months of 1989 to ensure no rare and endangered species of animals and plants were offered for sale as food; and if any seizures were made.
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§ Mr. Waldegrave[holding answer 29 March 1990]: Eighty-two restaurant inspections were carried out by the Hong Kong authorities in the second half of 1989 to ensure that no endangered species were illegally offered for sale: three seizures were made involving one monitor lizard, one monkey (pet), one sea turtle carapace and 0.79 kg of crocodile meat.