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XCS(80) 2
Cost and Benefits
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These are difficult to quantify since it is not possible to predict with any certainty the course events will take. The Director of Immigra- tion may require additional staff, depending on the effectiveness of the deterrence. If this proves to be strong, he should be able to redeploy staff at present coping with those who reach base. In the first few weeks following the introduction of any new policy, his staff and the Police involved in this work would be required to work considerable overtime and might need reinforcement with staff from elsewhere. The measures would have to be maintained over a long period and the other commitments of the Police and Immigration Department would therefore be affected and possibly additional manpower would be required. On the other hand, pro- vided the deterrent proves effective, the numbers to be dealt with should fall fairly quickly.
42
Compulsory carrying of the identity card will probably increase the incidence of loss. The Immigration Department will need extra staff
to produce quick replacements. Initially these will be found by redeployment.
43
To offset this, the benefits in reducing the 1979 figure of 110,000 evaders to some far smaller figure would be very considerable in terms of housing, education and social welfare services.
Public Relations
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If one effect of a policy of returning all evaders was to create a large group of people living on the fringe of society, with many of them turning to criminal activities, then this would cause general uneasiness amongst the public. There is already a wide spread public feeling (not however supported by crime statistics) that illegal immigrants, especially young people, fail to adjust to life in Hong Kong and become social misfits and attracted to a life of crime.
45
On the other hand it is recognised that the influx of large numbers of illegal immigrants is imposing an increasing strain on social services and, it is feared, could adversely affect the stability of Hong Kong society. Increasingly this is becoming the subject of public comment and debate. Firm measures would therefore generally be welcomed, particularly if the resultant deterrent effect was reflected in a major decrease in the numbers attempting to come to Hong Kong illegally.
46
However there may be criticism from some quartersof certain measures, notably the compulsory carrying of identity cards, on the grounds that they represent an infringement of personal liberty and represent the
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