we are not asking for your specific agreement to this course. I am merely putting up a marker that the Home Secretary may decide that the balance of advantage lies in a more rapid rate of intake. Much will depend of course on the rate of resettlement which we believe will be accelerated by Sir Arthur Peterson's recent appointment and the small support group we have made available.
As regards 1980/81, it will be sensible to wait until we have a better estimate of total expenditure at main estimates time when we ought to be able to take account of Ministers' latest views on the likely rate of intake during that period.
Some of the refugees will be going to recention centres in Scotland and a proportion of the resources allocated for assistance to local authorities will need to be transferred to the Scottish Vote. The details of this will have to be worked out later.
Finally I should just stress that we cannot guarantee the accuracy of our estimate,
or the room within cash limits. But we have made the best estimate we can, at this time, on both points.
Copies of this letter go to Donald Murray in FCO (who I hope will give this the necessary distribution within that Department), Peter Litton (DES), Mrs Firth (DHSS), Mr Phillip (Scottish Office), Mr McDonald (DOE) and Mrs Evans (Welsh Office).
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Your sincer
sincerly,
Geoflen de Senen
GI de Deney