TNAG-0498-FCO40-563-Deportation-of-foreign-nationals-from-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 108

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From the Minister of State The Rt Hon David Ennals MP

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Foreign and Commonwealth Office

London S.W.1

16 September 1974

329

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Jim Callaghan has asked me to thank you for your letter of 19 August enclosing a Resolution of your General Management Committee about the Government's policy on political asylum.

You

The final paragraph of the Resolution calls for a revision of British policy, and you ask whether the Government intends to undertake such a review. suggest this is a matter for the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary but in fact the admission into the United Kingdom of a person subject to immigration control is the responsibility of the Home Secretary. A copy of your letter has therefore been passed to the Home Office who will doubtless be replying to you direct.

Now for the specific instances quoted in your Committee's Resolution. I have every sympathy with the principles underlying your Committee's concern for political refugees, but the fact is that the group of 118 South Vietnamese were illegal immigrants to Hong Kong rather than political refugees. They were only returned to Saigon after the Vietnamese Government had given assurances that nothing serious would happen to members of the group (who were victims of the synfdcate which hac smuggled them out of Vietnam) and that cases of violation

Ian McGarry Esq

Secretary Agent

Putney Labour Party

168 Upper Richmond Road

Putney

London SW15

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