Tim Renton Esq MP Minister or State Home office
50 Queen Anne's Gate LONDON
SW1H 9AT
Department of Employment
Caxton House. Tothill Street, London SW1I9NF
Telephone Ci-273 5506/7
Telex 91556d- Fax 01-273 5821
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Lord Strathclyde
12
October 1989
New Tim.
DEPENDENT TERRITORIES QUOTA
I am writing to seek your agreement about a quota of work permits for the Dependent Territories in 1990. You will recall from previous correspondence about the Quota that you have accepted that the arrangements should continue until 1996.
The Federation of Chinese Associations claim that the quota of 150 for any one territory is insufficient to meet the needs of the ever growing Chinese catering trade. However I do not think it would be right to increase the annual quota for Hong Kong since this might induce the industry to relax the efforts it is making to attract resident labour.
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Therefore, assuming that the view of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office about the political undesirability of reducing the quota still holds good, I suggest the quota for 1990 should be the same as this year 200, with no more than 150 places allowed for any one territory. I also suggest that the details for the quota for 1990 should be announced in the same way as before. To this end I am enclosing a draft for an arranged PQ. It would greatly help our administrative arrangements if an announcement could be made before the end of October.
I should be grateful for your views, and those of Lord Brabazon, to whom I am copying this letter.
/
Roma.
LORD STRATHCLYDE
NT