TNAG-0880-FCO40-1090-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 39

A

COVERING CONFIDENTIAL

Parliamentary Unit

Mr Leahy

ORAL PQ:

REFUGEES IN HONG KONG

331

875

PA.

Mr Wiljamson

J812

1. Mr Jack Ashley MP (Lab. Stoke-on-Trent South) has put down a Question for Oral Answer on 14 February asking what steps the Secretary of State is taking, and persuading other governments to take, to help with the resettlement of temporary refugees now in Hong Kong. He has also put down another six Questions on refugee matters for Written Answer on the same day.

2.

Mr Ashley visited Hong Kong during the Christmas recess and was thoroughly briefed on the difficulties faced by the Hong Kong Government with regard to Vietnamese boat refugees and immigration generally. He subsequently wrote to the Secretary of State and called on Dr Owen, on 17 January, to discuss the problem of the refugees who were then aboard the HUEY FONG. The Secretary of State replied on 19 January.

3. I submit a draft

note. HK&GD concur.

Answer with supplementaries and a background

7 February 1979

сс

Mr Murray

AK&GD

SEAD

FED

медлит

MK O Simpson-Orlebar UN Department

COVERT NIC CONFIDENTTAT

HKR 243/

PA

по

Jak