TNAG-0971-FCO40-1190-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-in-the-UK-1980 — Page 34

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BACKGROUND BRIEF

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Quotas

1.

In July 1979 the Government announced in response to a request by the

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees its decision to accept a further

quota of 10,000 Vietnamese refugees. (The last Government had agreed in Janua

1979 to take a quota of 1,500 refugees: 1,000 from Hong Kong, 250 from Malaysi

and 250 from Thailand). By the end of November 1980 over 7,650 of the 10,000

quota had arrived in this country.

Boat rescues

2.

473 boat-rescue cases were accepted in the UK in 1978, 1,456 in 1979 and,

in 1980, 431 up to the end of November. (Of these about 600 were accepted afte

the announcement of the 10,000 quota).

Time of arrival of remainder of the, quota

3. The rate of movement from reception centres into permanent resettlement

housing over recent months suggests that the last of the 10,000 quota from Hong

Kong are likely to arrive here in March or April 1981. (Over the last two month

there has been a substantial increase in boat rescue arrivals which has affected

the off-take from Hong Kong).

Pace of resettlement

4. Refugees, following their stay in reception centres, are settled in permaner

buy

accommodation provided principally/local authorities, with contributions from

housing associations and other private sources. In recent months difficulties

in obtaining housing at the time it is required have slowed down the rate of

movement of refugees out of reception centres into permanent resettlement with

the result that refugees are spending longer in reception centres than we and the

voluntary agencies would wish - a stay of five/six months is now the average.

Moreover, the total amount of housing so far offered is about 400 dwellings

short of what is required to accommodate the remainder of the 10,000 quota.

CONHDENTIAL

/This