additional numbers of refugees from Hong Kong. It is too early as yet to know how many resettlement places will be offered as a result of our efforts. However, we have already received positive responses from several countries, notably Australia, which has announced that it will accept an extra 200 refugees from Hong Kong between now and June 1986, in addition to the 400 which it was already committed to accepting. This is encouraging.
You mention in your letter the question of conditions in the refugee camps. Richard Luce explained the general background to the Hong Kong Government's policy in some detail in his letter, and I would not wish to add to that. You may however be interested to know that when Mr Poul Hartling, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, visited the new Bowring closed camp in May this year, he said that although he did not like the idea of closed camps, inside the Bowring camp he "found the circumstances, the conditions, very encouraging". His conclusion was that the Hong Kong authorities and the voluntary agencies were doing a very good job, for which he was very grateful. This was also my own impression when I visited two camps, one open and one closed, during my recent visit to Hong Kong. I was most impressed by the efforts being made by all involved to provide adequate care for the refugees.
Yours
Thim
Richard Caborn Esq MP House of Commons London SW1A OAA
Tim Renton