TNAG-0895-FCO40-1105-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 120

PCDQ13.33

946607 IMMHQA G KEY+80275656+: 75656 IMMHK HX 946607 IMMHQA G.

FROM C E BIRT ROOM 615 IMMIGRATION DEPT HOME OFFICE LUNAR HOUSE CROYDON SURREY TELEX 946606

TO HONG KONG

SERIAL NUMBER IMMIG 51

ATTENTION GORDON CHU

1468A

OUR REF:

YOUR REF:

SELECTION OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FOR UK RESETTLEMENT (PLEASE COPY TO GOVERNOR )

1. THE UK SELECTION TEAM, COMPRISING MYSELF AND MRS N.V. MORLEY-FLETCHER, MBE (GENERAL SECRETARY, BRITISH COUNCIL FOR AID TO REFUGEES), WILL ARRIVE HONG KONG FLIGHT BA 003 AT 1610 HOURS (LOCAL) ON 13.8.79. WE SHALL STAY ABOUT 3 WEEKS. OUR AIM WILL BE TO SELECT AS MANY REFUGEES AS POSSIBLE FOR UK RESETTLEMENT, CERTAINLY A MINIMUM OF 1500 AND HOPEFULLY MORE. THIS WILL COMPLETE THE EXISTING 1000 "QUOTA, ALREADY PART FILLED, AND WILL MAKE A SUBSTANTIAL START ON THE NEW QUOTA OF 10,000. IN VIEW OF THE SIZE OF OUR TASK AND THE RELATIVELY SHORT TIME AVAILABLE I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF, IN ADVANCE OF OUR ARRIVAL, CERTAIN PREPARATIONS COULD BE SET IN HAND

2.

PLEASE NOTIFY UNHCR OF OUR IMPENDING VISIT SO THAT, IF NECESSARY, APPLICATIONS FOR UK RESETTLEMENT CAN BE INVITED

3. IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, DOSSIERS OR BIO-DATA SHEETS FOR ABOUT 3000 LIKELY CANDIDATES SHOULD BE ASSEMBLED IN TIME FOR OUR ARRIVAL. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THESE SHOULD BE RETAINABLE BY US TO AVOID THE TIME-CONSUMING TASK OF TRANSFERRING INFORMATION TO OUR OWN PAPERS

4.

OUR CRITERIA FOR SELECTION WILL BE MUCH AS BEFORE, VIZ:

(1) A GENUINE DESIRE TO RESETTLE IN THE UK

see

502

(11)

SOME KNOWLEDGE OF ENGLISH WOULD BE USEFUL

(111)

OCCUPATIONS WHICH MIGHT IMPROVE EMPLOYMENT PROSPECTS IN THE UK

(IV) THERE WILL BE A PREFERENCE FOR COMPLETE FAMILY GROUPS OVER

SINGLE PEOPLE

(V)

NOT TOO MANY CHRONIC SICK OR UNACCOMPANIED ELDERLY

THESE ARE NO MORE THAN BROAD GUIDELINES AND THEY WILL NOT BE APPLIED TO THE EXCLUSION OF THOSE WHO OTHERWISE APPEAR TO BE GOOD UK RESETTLEMENT PROSPECTS, WE WOULD HOPE TO INTERVIEW, IF NOT ALL, AS MANY APPLICANTS AS WE CAN. WE SHALL WISH TO SEE =ALL= FAMILY MEMBERS AT THESE INTERVIEWS

5. I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD FIND A SUITABLE CORNER WITH 2 DESKS FOR OUR USE AS A BASE DURING OUR STAY

6.

FINALLY,

PLEASE RESERVE HOTEL ACCOMMODATION FOR MYSELF AND MRS MORLEY-FLETCHER (LUK-KWOK OR SIMILAR WOULD BE IDEAL)

I AM SORRY IF THESE REQUESTS APPEAR UNREALISTIC: WE SHALL OF COURSE TRY TO FIT IN WITH WHATEVER ARRANGEMENTS YOU MAY SUGGEST

7.

SENT 26.7.79

75656 IMMHK HX 946607 IMMHQA G

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