So far £29,000 had been allocated for educational work of the Pesettlement agencies in the United Kingdom; and £74,000 for work of the British organisations in Thailand and Hong Kong. The balance would be allocated shortly.
vance
Thanks were recorded to William Shawcross, the volunteers and members of the staff responsible for the Campaign.
b)
Home Office Coordinating Machinery
The Home Office had set up a Secretariat on 8 October to take over responsibility for coordinating the work for the Indo-Chinese refugees in UK. This would work through an Executive Committee with representatives of the three operating agencies and an Advisory Council to bring in SCOR, Churches and other agencies on a wider basis. Sir Arthur Peterson would chair both Committees.
c)
Other Appeals
The Disasters Emergency Committee had to date raised £447,797; altogether there had been about a dozen appeals from charities raising some £3 million.
d)
Selection of Refugees from Hong Kong
M
The situation in Hong Kong had improved slightly the 67,000 in the camps had been reduced to 62,000. Over 1000 had reached UK in October; it was hoped there would be another 1000 arrivals in November. The USA were also taking some from Hong Kong.
The Rev Graeme Jackson suggested that the attitude of HMG to the Indo-Chinese refugees should be discussed by voluntary agencies. Although there had been some change of mind about the numbers to be let in originally, the agreement to receive them had been used as reason for stricter immigration rules. What attitude should be taken by the voluntary agencies? This would be discussed by the Asia Committee at its meeting shortly.
APPROACHES TO GOVERNMENT
8.
a)
To the Home Office
On 12 September a deputation to the
Home Secretary had raised the following matters:-
1)
11)
111)
General Government Policy with special reference to:- Latin Americans
Zimbabweans
Determination of Refugee Status
Need for Inter-Departmental Coordination with regard to Refugee Matters:-
education, training, employment.
iv) Major Procedural Issues
a) Changes in Immigration Rules
Delays in Granting Asylum
Indo-Chinese Refugees
b)
v)
Reception and Resettlement in UK
The Home Secretary had promised to take up the question of inter-depart- mental coordination on refugee issues. Other points had been passed to officials to look into.
The meeting had been useful in that it had reminded Home Office of the interests of the voluntary zen. les; otherwise it did not seem to have much impact.
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