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I also attach:
(i) a table, produced by the Home Office, showing the numbers
of Indo-Chinese refugees accepted by the UK, together with a breakdown between "land" and "boat" cases and of their countries of origin;
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(ii)
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(iii)
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(jv)
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a reporting, telegram from UKMIS Geneva;
a summing-up by Mr Hartling's deputy, and
the High Commissioner's own closing statement, at the end of the Geneva consultations.
In 1977, the Government, through the General Council of British Shipping (GCBS), reminded Masters of British vessels of their duties to rescue anyone in distress at sea when it is within their power to do so. Last month, the Department of Trade (at FCO prompting), again through the GCBS, reminded Masters of their duties in this respect following the decision by the UNHCR Executive Committee that governments should take this action. We have thus already complied with the joint appeal from UNHCR and IMCO issued at the conference: this could be mentioned in the House. Our experience has so far shown that British vessels have gone out of their way to answer distress calls from refugees.
6. Miss Joyce Pearce of the Ockenden Venture, a voluntary agency which cares for some of the Indo-Chinese refugees admitted to the UK, telephoned the Department yesterday to say that the public's response to the admission of "boat refugees" to the UK had been "extraordinarily generous", much more so than she had anticipated. Offers of accommodation for the refugees had come in from more than a score of local councils and housing associations throughout the country. In addition, the Ockenden Venture had recently issued a "low-key" appeal for funds: they distributed 5,000 leaflets and received £5,000 in donations as a result.
DOMOTOR: 11
6/7. Mr Morgan
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