XN000022-1995-05-03 — Page 60

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Children bom to

II mothers

Children born to Two- way Permit Holders

Granted stay

Year

Granted stay

1992

1,902

(Feb to Dec)*

1993

2,453

1994

2,231

4,233

6,035

6,725

(c)

(d)

No statistics are available before February 1992.

All those who were not granted permission to stay were repatriated as a matter of policy.

The Government is committed to provide school places to all children who are eligible for public sector places, including children born to Chinese women who are granted permission to stay. They have, therefore, been taken into account in projecting the need for education facilities. The facilities and services for children born to local residents will not be affected. Provision of hospital services to two way permit holders and illegal immigrants giving birth in Hong Kong have been made from existing resources through improved efficiency and productivity without affecting the quality of care for other patients.

We believe that the solution lies in tackling the problem at source. There is already good co-operation with the Chinese authorities in tackling the problem of illegal immigration into Hong Kong. As regards those who enter Hong Kong on two way permits, we have raised the problem with the Chinese authorities during the Annual Border Liaison Meeting in February this year. The Director of Immigration has also raised this with the Director of the Bureau of Exit-Entry Administration of the Public Security Ministry during his recent visit to China. The latter indicated that consideration would be given to adopting measures to try to curb the trend. Such measures may include postponing the issue of two-way permits to women at an advanced stage of pregnancy.

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