}
DSR (Revised Sept 85)
DRAFT: minute/letter/teleletter/despatch/note
FROM:
Lord Glenarthur
DEPARTMENT:
BUILDING:
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
TO:
Top Secret
Secret
Michael Lathan Esq MP
House of Commons
Confidential
LONDON
SW1
Restricted
Unclassified
PRIVACY MARKING
SUBJECT:
CAVEAT
TYPE: Draft/Final 1 +
Reference
GINASF
TEL. NO:
Your Reference
ROOM NO:
Copies to:
In Confidence
Thank you for your letter of 27 June to Geoffrey Howe,
enclosing a list of questions from one of your
constituents about Vietnamese boat people in Hong Kong.
As Minister with special responsibility for Hong Kong, I
am replying on his behalf.
First, sponsorship. Our present policy is to admit to
this country only those Vietnamese refugees who have
links with this country. There is no provision for
privately sponsored Vietnamese refugees to be admitted.
However, we keep the policy under constant review and I
have taken careful note of your constituent's interest in
sponsorship.
Enclosures flag(s)
Secondly, the new policy. The short answer to your
constituent's question is 'yes'. I enclose a copy of
Geoffrey Howe's Commons Statement on the new policy
towards Vietnamese boat people, which was introduced on
16 June (not 21 June as your constituent implies). As
ས Em