W145
OO HONG KONG
GRS 350
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 101518Z DEC 79
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1027 OF 10 DECEMBER
FOLLOWING TELEGRAM NOW REPEATED TO YOU AT REQUEST OF M VD WAS
SENT TO DELHI TELEGRAM NUMBER 818 OF 5 DECEMBER
CONFIDENTIAL
FROM FCO 05144OZ
TO IMMEDIATE NEW DELHI
TELEGRAM NUMBER 813 OF 5 DECEMBER
INFO IMMEDIATE ISLAMABAD, DACCA, BOMBAY, KARACHI, NAIROBI, ROUTINE CANBERRA, WELLINGTON, OTTAWA, BRIDGETOWN, PORT OF SPAIN,
KUALA LUMPUR.
HOUSE OF COMMONS IMMIGRATION DEBATE, 4 DECEMBER
1. THE PRESS IN THE INDIAN SUB-CONTINENT WILL NO DOUBT MAKE MUCH
OF THE CRITICISM MADE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE HOUSE OF THE PROPOSALS IN THE GOVERNMENT'S WHITE PAPER ON IMMIGRATION. THE PROPOSALS WERE APPROVED BY 294 VOTES TO 252. THERE WERE SEVERAL ABSTENTIONS ON THE GOVERNMENT SIDE.
2. THE CRITICISMS WERE DIRECTED ALMOST ENTIRELY AGAINST THE PROPOSED PROVISIONS FOR HUSBANDS AND MALE FIANCES WHICH WERE DESCRIBED BY SOME MEMBERS AS BOTH RACIALLY AND SEXUALLY DISCRIMINATORY. AND AGAINST THE RESTRICTIONS UPON THE ENTRY OF DEPENDANTS, PARTICULARLY THE ELDERLY, WHICH WERE SAID TO BE EXCESSIVELY HARSH.
3. 3 CONCESSIONS WERE MADE BY THE GOVERNMENT:-
A. WOMEN QUALIFIED TO BRING IN HUSBANDS AND MALE FIANCES WILL INCLUDE NOT ONLY CITIZENS OF THE UK BORN IN THE UK BUT ALSO WOMEN, ONE OF WHOSE PARENTS WAS A CITIZEN OF THE UK BORN IN THE UK.
B. WOMEN RESIDENT IN THE UK WHO ARE QUALIFIED TO BRING IN HUSBANDS OR MALE FIANCES, WILL HAVE A RIGHT TO DO SO EXPRESSED IN THE RULES. C. MR RAISON UNDERTOOK TO CONSIDER AGAIN THE ARGUMENTS ABOUT THE PROPOSED PROVISIONS FOR DEPENDENT RELATIVES WHICH REQUIRE THEM TO BE WHOLLY OR MAINLY DEPENDENT UPON SPONSORS, BUT REQUIRE AT THE SAME TIME THAT THEY MUST HAVE A STANDARD OF LIVING SUBSTANTIALLY BELOW THAT OF THEIR OWN COUNTRY. THESE REQUIREMENTS WERE CRITICISED ON THE GROUNDS THAT THEY EFFECTIVELY RULED OUT ALMOST ALL ELDERLY DEPENDENT RELATIVES.
4. YOU WILL NOT WANT TO INITIATE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE DEBATE, BUT IN RESPONDING TO QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD DRAW UPON THE INTRODUCTORY AND WINDING-UP SPEECHES BY THE HOME SECRETARY AND MR RAISON. PERHAPS THE MAIN POINT TO MAKE IS THAT THE GOVERNMENT ARE CONVINCED THAT IT IS NECESSARY TO STOP THE USE WHICH HAS BEEN MADE OF THE EXISTING RULES GOVERNING MARRIAGES TO PROVIDE A PRIMARY AVENUE OF IMMIGRATION. THERE IS NO ATTACK UPON THE ARRANGED MARRIAGE AS SUCH. POSTS IN THE INDIAN SUB-CONTINENT ARE ALREADY AWARE OF THE FIGURES AND ARGUMENTS WHICH MAY BE USED TO JUSTIFY THE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSED POLICY. THE GOVERNMENT ARE SURE ALSO THAT A PROPER CONTROL OF IMMIGRATION WILL BE AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO THEIR MAJOR OBJECTIVE OF IMPROVING RACE RELATIONS IN THE UK.
CARRINGTON
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