す
604
The hon. Gentle- tion a long way. cautions in resi- jerly.
Minister aware ly people in resi- le much worse ent's attitude to- r pay? Will not tide to carry out Governments in ent made three en?
believe that the is the subject of way affected by s pay. I do not Gentleman thinks
on
asked the Secre- ome Department, meet the chair- 1 for the Welfare s the findings of
hon. Friend has
Home Secretary ld he assure the nment's policy of g illegal immi- wed with great the support of d of many mem-
munities?
ounded a rather is the policy of was of previous nove illegal en- ompelling reasons
ing.
lon: Does not the the definition of has now been s never envisaged passed the 1971 that the removal by deception is I to harass people ocent and where estion their status
605
Oral Answers
13 NOVEMBER 1980
Mr. Raison: I do not accept that in terpretation of our policy. We are carry- ing out the law as it is laid down by the
courts.
Mr. Marlow : Is this body in receipt of public funds; and if so, how much?
Mr. Raison : I shall write to my hon. Friend about that matter.
Dr. Summerskill: What progress is being made in the Government's review about the procedures used in so-called blanket raids by the police which involve the questioning and sometimes the arrest of members of particular ethnic groups? When this review is completed, will the Minister make a statement to the House, because there is still a great deal of unrest on the subject?
Mr. Raison : We are making good progress with the review, and we hope to make a statement to the House before long.
Vietnamese Refugees
Sir Paul Bryan asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the 30,000 Vietnamese refugees still remaining in camps in Hong Kong, he will announce a new quota of such refu- gees to be received in the United King- dom in the coming year.
an-
Mr. Raison : We are directing our efforts to the fulfilment of our undertak- ing made to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and nounced in July 1979, to accept 10,000 Vietnamese refugees. About 7,250 have so far arrived in this country from Hong Kong.
Sir P. Bryan Is my hon. Friend aware that Britain and Hong Kong to- gether have given a magnificent lead in this difficult problem of dealing with Vietnamese refugees-Hong Kong in accepting these great numbers despite its difficulties with regard to Chinese immi- grants, and Britain in setting up the Geneva conference and undertaking to accept the quota of 10,000 refugees? Is he aware that other countries are now look- ing to this country to see what further quota it will announce before deciding what further quotas they will accept?
Mr. Raison: I am grateful to my hon. Friend for what he has said about our
50 P 9
Oral Answers
606
contribution, and I endorse what he said about the contribution of Hong Kong. However, I am afraid that I am not in a position to add to my previous answer.
Mr. Tilley: Does not the Minister accept that the Government now have a policy of paradox verging on hypocrisy if on the one hand they accept the Vietna- mese boat people and on the other de- port hundreds of Filipino domestic workers whose only fault is that they did not answer a question about their child- ren that they were never asked?
Mr. Raison: I can see no comparison at all between the hon. Gentleman's state- ments.
Mrs. Knight: Many of us who have had the opportunity to see and talk to these refugees in Hong Kong have the greatest sympathy for them and would wish every help to be extended to them. However, when considering this question, will he bear in mind that at present Bri- tain does not have sufficient jobs for its own people or a sufficient number of homes? In making his decision about the kind of help that can be afforded to them, will he press areas of the Commonwealth where there is space and opportunities to take them instead?
Mr. Raison: Like my hon. Friend, I have recently had the opportunity of visiting Hong Kong and talking to the refugees. I very much endorse what she has said. She was also right to point out that housing and employment are con- straints that we must recognise. I do not think that it is for us to urge other mem- bers of the Commonwealth to take these refugees.
Parliamentary Constituencies
(Boundaries)
14. Mr. Madel asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many parliamentary_constituencies in England have not yet been examined by the Par- liamentary Boundary Commission in its current review of English parliamentary constituencies; when he expects those not yet examined to be examined; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Brittan: The Boundary Commis- sion for England has yet to publish pro- visional recommendations in respect of 16 counties, which at present comprise 168 whole parliamentary constituencies
DATE 13/11/80
VOL
992
ACOL 6051006
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.