TNAG-1029-FCO40-1279-Visits-by-FCO-officials-to-Hong-Kong-1981 — Page 62

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application of the family reunion criteria so that more people could come from Hong Kong to join relatives in the UK. Mr Spence confirmed that the family reunion progamme would continue. So far it had been applied on very liberal terms. The Home Office were now beginning to review these criteria. He confirmed that this might lead to some narrowing of the field. Mr Ford and I stressed the advantage of maintaining and widening the criteria because the family reunion programme was a relatively non-contentious means of keeping up at least some flow.

Sponsorship by Hong Kong of Voluntary Agency Resettlement Work

4.

Mr Ford said that Hong Kong had in mind providing assistance to a Voluntary Agency, for instance the Ockenden Venture, in order to enable a very much smaller flow of refugees to continue. It might be as little as the total capacity in the camp of 100 to 200 which would result in a much smaller flow than that. Mr Spence said that this would simply be another form of quota. All the Home Office officials saw considerable difficulties in the idea because of additional costs over and above that of resettlement camps. Apart from jobs and housing the main problems were social, security benefits and education. They foresaw intense opposition to the idea from local authorities who were being told to cut back on other programmes and deprived of central government finance.

5. Mr Goddard also questioned the availability of housing. Although some Voluntary Agency workers were relatively optimistic on this, others do not see the future so brightly. There was a shortfall of about 200 at present.

6. Mr Ford developed his idea to bring in the possibility of continuing post-resettlement sponsorship either by the Hong Kong Government or by voluntary donors in order to cover the costs of further education. Although unenthusiastic the Home Office officials thought that this might be worth considering, They were still extremely doubtful about the political possibility and what would be represented as a continuing quota. I stressed the practical and presentational importance of the very small numbers involved. In political terms these could be represented as a sharp cutback in the

The Home Office offtake of refugees from the present figure. were very reluctant to concede this. Mr Ford also proposed that

refugees might not be 'called forward' until houses were found for them. 7. It was left that the Home Office would continue their review of family reunion criteria.. They would also consider internally the idea of sponsorship. I stressed, and Mr Ford agreed, that the proposals were only tentative ones and were not intended to rule out the possibility of a political solution, eg a further quota, if the FCO judged at some stage it was necessary to recommend this.

8.

I will let Hong Kong know the result of the meeting when I go back. We do of course need to watch timing carefully on this. If the situation in Hong Kong deteriorates over the summer months it may indeed be necessary to go back to the Home Secretary with proposals for a further quota.

7 May 1981

R D Clift

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