CONFIDENTIAL
C
A
British Shipping (GCBS), wrote to Mr Nott on 16 July
to suggest that refugees picked up by British ships
should automatically be included in the quota. Lord
Campbell raised the matter in the House of Lords on
18 July when the Secretary of State undertook to Look
into the suggestion that the Government give first
priority in the United Kingdom quota to those refugees
who have been rescued by British ships (Hansard
B
Col. 1429-1430).
C
D
The GCBS also raised the matter with
Mr Hurd on 19 July and the Secretary of State answered a
question on this point at his Press Conference in
Geneva on 20 July (UKMis Geneva telno 348).
5.
Cabinet on 12 July agreed that refugees picked up
by our ships at sea should be included in the quota
of 10,000. The difficulties in administering this provision
are set out in para 2 of the draft letter to Mr Nott.
Nevertheless, we are commited by the Cabinet's decision
to administer the existing quota in such a way
a way as to
allow for the possibility that we may have to accept
".
at short notice refugees picked up by British flag
vessels. We can probably do this as long as only small
numbers of refugees are picked up by British ships.
J
But if there is another case of the magnitude of the
Sibonga we may need to consider an increase in the quota.