among
ASYLUM APPLICATIONS ARE THE MOST DIFFICULT
THE MOST DIFFICULT AND SENSITIVE OF
IMMIGRATION CASES AND DECISIONS ARE ROUTINELY TAKEN AT HIGHER
LEVELS THAN FOR OTHER TYPES OF CASEWORK • ENQUIRIES OUTSIDE THE
DEPARTMENT ARE OFTEN NECESSARY AND IN THE GREAT MAJORITY OF
THE CONTINUING HIGH
CASES AN INDEPTH INTERVIEW IS UNDERTAKEN.
LEVEL OF ASYLUM APPLICATIONS, OVER 3,500 IN 1983 COMPARED WITH
SOME 1,500 IN 1979 WHEN COMBINED WITH THE CONTINUING UNSETTLED
AND UNPREDICTABLE NATURE OF WORLD EVENTS HAS REGRETTABLY GIVEN
RISE TO SOME DELAYS. WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE AVERAGE DELAY ON
SUCH CASES IS TOO LONG AND OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO REDUCE THE
NUMBER OF CASES UNDER CONSIDERATION. STEPS HAVE ALREADY BEEN
TAKEN TO INCREASE THE STRENGTH OF THE HOME OFFICE REFUGEE UNIT.
THE NOBLE LORD, VISCOUNT BUCKMASTER, ALSO ASKED ABOUT FURTHER
CONSIDERATION FOR REUNITING REFUGEE FAMILIES, OUR POLICY TOWARDS
VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG WHO HAVE RELATIVES IN THIS
COUNTRY, AND WHETHER A MORE LIBERAL POLICY MIGHT ENCOURAGE
OTHER COMMUNITY COUNTRIES TO FOLLOW OUR LEAD.
THE UNITED KINGDOM ALREADY ACKNOWLEDGES ITS OBLIGATIONS TOWARDS
THE SPOUSE AND MINOR DEPENDENT CHILDREN OF REFUGEES IN THIS
COUNTRY AND THOSE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG WHO FALL
INTO THAT CATEGORY ARE ADMITTED TO THIS COUNTRY.
APPLICATIONS
FROM OTHER RELATIVES ARE CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF THE PARTICULAR
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