The Rt Hon Malcolm Rifkind QC MP
House of Commons
LONDON
SW1 OAA
Thank you for your letter of 15 March enclosing one from
your constituent, Mr Jimmy Boyle of 33 Gillespie Road,
Edinburgh, about the problems he encountered on his arrival at Hong Kong in February.
delay in replying.
:
I am sorry for the
First I should point out that Hong Kong's immigration policy, including control of entry, is the responsibility
of the Hong Kong Government. It is they who decide on
admission or refusal of entry. However I have sought an
account from the Hong Kong Immigration Department of the
incident concerning Mr Boyle, and my reply is based on
the report I have received from them.
Under Hong Kong's Immigration rules, British citizens may
be refused entry as visitors if the immigration officer is not satisfied that the passenger is (a) a genuine visitor or (b) of good character. In Mr Boyle's case the
initial refusal was taken under (b), as was explained to him at the time, because of his criminal record. This
MANAHY