Question:
Answer:
Question No. 10
Reply by the Secretary for Security to a Question by the Hon. Filton CHEONG-LEEN, OBE, JF,
in the Legislative Council on Wednesday, 6th June 1979
Are all available resources being deployed to prevent illegal immigrants from slipping into Hong Kong, and can additional manpower resources be deployed for this purpose?
Sir,
The answer to both questions is Yes, sir. It is however necessary
to set these answers in perspective.
2.
(a)
The principal available resources are
-
The Garrison as agreed by the Defence Costs Agreement 1976.
This comprises 4 Infantry battalions, a Gurkha Engineer
Squadron plus training element), 5 Royal Navy patrol craft
and one Helicopter Squadron of 3 aircraft (unfortunately
temporarily reduced to 7 as a result of an accident), plus
such support elements as are necessary to sustain the
teeth arm elements.
(b)
The Royal Hong Kong Police.
(c)
The Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Police, the Royal Hong Kong
Regiment 'comprising 5 reconnaissance squadrons) and
aircraft of the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force, and
!d)
Physical barriers such as fencing etc.
3.
In deploying these forces on illegal immigration duties it is
necessary to provide levels which can be sustained, and in the case of the Police
Force to maintain its normal law and order coverage of Hong Kong,