CONFIDENTIAL
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Mr Male
Parliamentary Unit
PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG
1. I submit a draft reply to the question which Sir Paul Bryan MP (Conservative, Howden) has put down for written answer on 1 July.
PA
2.
The Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong were the subject
We have of considerable Parliamentary interest in May. consulted the acting Governor of Hong Kong about the draft reply to Sir P Bryan's Question (FCO telegram number 502); and his latest estimate is that, if the USA eventually takes only about 800 of the refugees, homes can probably be found for 2,200 of them, leaving a residue of about 1,700. Even if the USA takes 1,300 the residue would be some 1,200,
which would still present a considerable problem for the Hong Kong Government.
3.
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Admission to the United Kingdom is, of course, a matter 60+
1658) for the Home Secretary. Unfortunately there is no advance Flag, on what Mr Jenkins told the House on 8 and 21 May. The Home
Office are still considering entry applications from about 70 of the Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong. The Department will be pursuing this matter; and at some stage we may need to consider the advisability of a further Ministerial approach.
4. The additional grant of £50,000 was agreed by Mr Prentice only on 25 June. At ODM's request, we have made clear to Hong Kong that it is envisaged that this is the limit of the financial support which we are prepared to provide. However, although this has been stated as the ODM position, it would still be open to us to approach them again after another couple of months, if this seemed appropriate.
5.
As Chairman of the Anglo/Hong Kong Parliamentary Group, Sir P Bryan takes a regular interest in Hong Kong affairs.
/He
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CONFIDENTIAL