UK INTAKE
RESTRICTED
February
14. Today's press carries reports of remarks by the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees, Mr Hartling, now visiting Hong Kong, that Britain should "take an initiative that will encourage other
countries to take more". His view is that Britain should give a lead by accepting more refugees for resettlement. I said in my evidence to the Sub-Committee on Race Relations and Immigration on 4
Aprit that "a clear indication that we are prepared to carry out a resettlement programme, linking it perhaps to special family reunion
cases, and that we have very positive proposals and ideas in this
connection, could well produce a response." I believe this to be situation, but obviously can
be no guarantee. As Hon Friend
Minister of State at the Home Office said during the debate on 9
May, the Government will be looking at the question of the UK
accepting more refugees, in particular family reunion cases, in the
context of its consideration of the Select Committee's
recommendations; therefore inappropriate for me to comment in more
detail at this juncture.
15.
Would like at this point to pay tribute to enormous
contribution already made by other countries in helping to solve
Hong Kong's refugee problem. Remind House that US, Canada and
Australia have accepted 55,000, 16,000, and 4,400 refugees from Hong
Kong respectively. Am pleased to say that Canada has just announced
decision to
to take
take additional 500 refugees this year from Hong Kong on
top of 600 they had already agreed to take: this means that this
year they will take same number as last year.