about contody aspects of the nangamente made for tha
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Vietnamese and the Department of Health and Social Security is considering
how they might be improved in any future programme.
As regards education in reception, as the Joint Committee recognise, the Vietnamese presented an exceptionally difficult challenge for the education service. They arrived destitute and in a state of shock, with very few having any knowledge of English. It is therefore a tribute to those concerned that the agencies can point to examples of extremely high standards of teaching in some centres. In the circumstances it would have been surprising if there had not been some difficulties, particularly
in areas where there was little experience of teaching English as a second
language. We believe it right that the responsibility for employing teachers in reception centres should have rested with the local education authorities. This reflects the way education is organised in this country,
and the objective of introducing the refugee children to normal schooling as quickly as possible. I am sure that the local authorities will have benefited from their experience of involvement with the reception programmēj in particular, there may be lessons to be learned about the selection of
teachers and their relationship with the refugee organisations.
As regards the number of unaccompanied minors who were received during the
programme this of course was a feature of the programme which none of us had anticipated. The arguments for caring for these children as the agencies are doing appear entirely convincing and we are indeed indebted to them for the care and expertise which they are able to provide. Government has, of course, accepted its responsibility, having admitted these minors, in terms of the financial support which/makes available to
the agencies for the children's care. As regards the assumption of parental rights and duties by the refugee agencies over the children in their care,
I understand that it is for the relevant local authorities to determine
such cases and it is proper, therefore, that they should decide whether a resolution conveying these rights and duties would be appropriate for the
children concerned. I recognise, however, that the care of and respon- sibility for unaccompanied minors is an important issue which the refuses agencies may wish to pursue with the Department of Health and Social Security, and I am sure that their officials will be happy to meet them.
Turning now to the report's comments on the settlement policy pursued for the Vietnamese - the difficulties in finding housing and the policy of
dispersed settlement - the Government's traditional ain when a special programme is established for refugees is to help to provide them with