SECRETARY FOR SECURITY:
From the information
that we get from people who come to Hong Kong on one-way
permits, it seems some get them in less than a year, others
in two years, and most of them within three. I do not
consider this to be unreasonable myself, given that we are
allowing in as many as 27,000 a year and given that there
a large number or people still in China who have
very close relatives in Hong Kong and are
waiting to join their relatives here.
Mr. DESMOND LEE:
Government thought about making contact
with china to suggest special consideration for these
illegal immigrant mothers if and when they apply for one-way permits
to come to Hong Kong?
SECRETARY FOR SECURITY:
sir, as I have said, we have been
in constant talk with the appropriate authorities in China by
regular meetings. I must emphasise, of course, that the issue
of one-way permits is not a matter for the Hong Kong Government;
it is a matter for the appropriate authorities in China; and
we must not forget that these illegal
immigrants are, in fact, queue-jumpers. They are people who
ought to be waiting in the queue in China in order to get
one-way permits.
Mr. MARTIN LEE: Sir, bearing in mind that (1) these illegal