ROBAPZ
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
NUMBERS
There are
some 25,000 Vietnamese boat people in Hong Kong, of whom
some 15,000 have refugee status. 633 post-16 June arrivals have
been screened, of whom 57 have been screened in as refugees.
RESETTLEMENT
[UK's record on resettlement?]
Over 20,000 Indo Chinese refugees have settled in the United
Kingdom in the last ten years. That is more than the total number
of asylum-seekers from all other parts of the world who we have
recognised as refugees or allowed to stay on an exceptional basis
during the same period. Over 13,000 have been Vietnamese refugees
from Hong Kong.
[Impact of new commitment on UK?]
Decision to take additional 1,000 Vietnamese took into account
all the circumstances here in the UK as well as in Hong Kong. Many
of those to be resettled here will be selected on basis of their
potential to become self-sufficient in UK. Will do all we can to
ensure that they adapt well to our environment. In close
consultation with the reception agencies in this country to
facilitate this.
We shall do all we can to ensure the additional refugees are
resettled in a way that does not add to the very considerable
pressure on housing resources in certain urban areas.