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If Ministers here see that the net effect of admitting the SCORRI 500 and the associated diplomatic initiative has been (at best) to hold the number level, they may well ask what purpose would be served by a further small intake which clearly could not substantially affect the scope of Hong Kong's refugee problem. you know, Mr Waddington hopes to visit Hong Kong at the end of
As
Oh September, and he will no doubt wish to see the position there for
dear himself before he and the Home Secretary take a final view. In
view of the Prime Minister's comments at the time of the response to SCORRI, any proposals would also need to be cleared with H Committee.
In the meantime I am sure it would be helpful to us to have a preliminary discussion and I shall get in touch next week to fix a convenient time
Our immediate plans on completion of the 500 Hong Kong cases is to tackle the other limb of the SCORRI commitment: the 60 family reunion cases in other countries in SE Asia. Our problem here is that the refugee agencies have identified far more family reunion cases, both in Hong Kong and elsewhere in South East Asia than the original estimate of about 500.
It is perhaps also worth mentioning in this context that we continue to offer settlement under the "10 or more" plan to those who are difficult to resettle and consider applications that come through UNHCR on this basis.
#accept
Yours sincerely,
Try Rawsthorna
AR RAWSTHORNE