§ 22. Mr. Alan KeenTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's role in the future of Hong Kong. [5751]
§ 26. Mr. RooneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's role in the future of Hong Kong. [5755]
§ Mr. FatchettAs a co-signatory of the Joint Declaration, Britain has an enduring moral and political responsibility towards Hong Kong. We will continue to watch developments closely, in particular through the Sino-British Joint Liaison Group, which continues until 1 January 2000. We will report to Parliament at six-monthly intervals on the implementation of the Joint Declaration, with special reference to the protection of human rights in Hong Kong. We will also continue to remind the international community of its stake in Hong Kong's continuing success.
§ Mr. DayTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will list the departmental special advisers and parliamentary private secretaries who attended the hand over ceremonies in Hong Kong; [6965]
(2) if he will list the publicly funded travel and accommodation costs incurred by individual departmental special advisers and parliamentary private secretaries who attended the handover ceremonies in Hong Kong; [6959]
(3) if he will list the overall cost to the Exchequer of travel and accommodation expenses incurred by departmental special advisers and parliamentary private secretaries who attended the hand over ceremonies in Hong Kong: [6956]
(4) how many departmental special advisers and parliamentary private secretaries attended the handover ceremonies in Hong Kong. [6961]
§ Mr. Fatchett[holding answer 7 July 1997]: The only Departmental Special Advisers or Parliamentary Private Secretaries to attend the handover ceremonies in Hong Kong were Mr. Alastair Campbell, Chief Press Secretary to the Prime Minister, and Mr. Andrew Wood, Special Adviser to the Foreign Secretary.
417WThe Chief Press Secretary accompanied the Prime Minister at no additional cost to the taxpayer.
Mr. Hood accompanied my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth affairs on the chartered plane which took the official British delegation to Hong Kong, at no additional cost to the taxpayer, his accommodation cost £2,581, which was met from public funds.
§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement regarding his discussions in Hong Kong with his Chinese counterpart Qian Qichen. [7178]
§ Mr. FatchettThe meeting in Hong Kong between my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and his Chinese counterpart which I also attended was the first since taking office. This was an historic occasion and provided a unique opportunity to set the tone for future relations. Discussions focused mostly on Hong Kong issues but also covered a range of bilateral matters including human rights.