TNAG-0972-FCO40-1191-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 109

JOTE OF A MEETING HELD IN ROOM 1281, HOME OFFICE ON 21 APRIL TO DISCUSS PROVISION

OF TEACHING MATERIAL AND PUBLICITY TO REFUGEES IN HONG KONG.

Present: Mr M E Head

Mr V Chan

G

Chairman, I1 Division, Home Office Hong Kong Government Office

Mr P Williamson

FCO

J

DES

G

JCRV

Mr P Thorpe Mr A Marshall

Mr J L Goddard - 11 Division, Home Office Mr G H Crawley - I1 Division, Home Office

30A

Mr Head recalled the consideration given in the last few months to various suggestions

for the education and general orientation of refugees in Hong Kong which had led to

the meeting's current consideration of, firstly, the practicability of providing

formal English language teaching to refugees in Hong Kong and, second, the practica-

bility of providing a general "socialising instruction" to those in transit camps

awaiting entry to the UK on the lines set out in Mr Goddam's letter of 12 February

to Mr Williamson.

Mr Williamson mentioned that his Department had received a letter from the Governor of

Hong Kong requesting further material on life in the UK. John Poynton, Head of

Adult and Secondary Language Teaching at Thorney Island, who had recently made a

private visit to Hong Kong, had volunteered to provide some material but more was

required. The Governor had also requested a supply of books on learning English

and complementary cassettes which could be used by the refugees both before and after

selection for resettlement. FCO would be replying to the Governor in the light of

discussions at this meeting.

2.

The following points were discussed:-

(a) The Home Office was currently assembling two sets of slides for

use in Hong Kong; one set was to be aimed at encouraging refugees

to come forward for selection, the other would be primarily for

those already selected. Both would be supplied with voice-overs

1.