HOUSE OF COMMONS
Hon. Francis Maude, MP,
LONDON SW1A OAA
Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Whitehall,
LONDON, SW1A 2AH
1st November, 1989.
Dear Mr. Maude,
Thank you for your letter of 23rd October. I do not think there is any difference between us. Of course you must do what you can to help within the limits of what is practicable. I did not intend to suggest that, because of the difficulties you face, you should not take action within those limits. What I am saying is that your room for manoeuvre is very narrow and that you should not be tempted to allow immigration to any great extent because, by so doing, you will open yourselves to criticism for deciding which categories will not be offered entry and you will come under great pressure to increase your largesse. Rather than going down this road, my suggestion to John Major was that you should be very restrictive in your offers of settlement. be otherwise will get you into endless difficulties.
Yours sincerely,
То
BOWEN WELLS, MP
Dictated by Bowen Wells and signed in his absence.
1. Acknowledged
2-11
2. Minister of State has has not seen
3.
ико
Department for
advice and draft reply from
Mr Maude by 13-11-89
وی
se mr Maude
Joh Outh 8/1