Original at: HKK 243
This Copy for:
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RECIPES SHA
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Mr Cortazzi
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HONG KONG: MP'S LETTER:
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG HONG
AND LEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA
Problem
1.
To reply to a letter of 15 September from the Rt Hon
Alfred Morris MP to the Secretary of State in which he asked
for certain statistics on Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong
and legal immigration from China.
Recommendation
2. I recommend that, in the absence of the Secretary of State
(and of Mr Blaker, who normally deals with Hong Kong matters),
the Lord Privy Seal should reply to Mr Morris along the lines
of the attached draft and that the information should be passed
to Mr Morris by telephone in advance. The Private Office and
the Lord Privy Seal's Office have agreed to this way of proceeding.
Background
3. The draft reply to Mr Morris incorporates figures provided
by the Hong Kong Government (Hong Kong telegram No 1329) and the
Home Office.
4. Although Mr Morris' letter is dated 15 September, it was not
received in HKGD until 9.00 am on 24 September. Because of the
need to obtain information from Hong Kong it was not possible to
prepare a full written reply to Mr Morris in time to reach him
by today, 25 September, as he had asked.
25 September 1979
RJT McLaren
Hong Kong and General Department