TNAG-1277-FCO40-1627-Resettlement-of-Vietnamese-refugees-from-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 180

CONFIDENTIAL

11 There are now over 17,000 Vietnamese refugees in the United Kingdom

and our Vietnamese Refugee Programme is estimated to have cost some

£21.6 million by the end of 1982/83. These figures of cost ignore those

arising from the dependants of Vietnamese in this country on social

security benefits; over 80% of those of working age are unemployed.

Moreover, over 2,000 Vietnamese have been promised entry to the United

Kingdom and applications are still being received. In addition we have

our continuing unquantifiable commitment to boat-people rescued by UK

registered vessels which are running at the rate of about 200 so far

this year.

These figures are significant from the UK Government's

point of view but as they pale into insignificance beside those for

the United States (several 100,000) they should not be over-emphasised.

12 Until 1980 we applied much wider criteria to applications from

Vietnamese but since 1981 wehave applied the same criteria to the

Vietnamese as to other nationalities. That is that we will agree to

the admission of the spouse and minor children of refugees already

here and look carefully at applications from their relatives.

13 Like the Americans we are not in favour of quotas because of

their arbitrary nature. While ceilings, when applied with criteria,

provide a more controlled means of admission, they would nevertheless

require an extension of the Government's existing commitment which is unlikely to be forthcoming. Moreover we do not see new ceilings/

quotas as the best way to provide a clear long-term solution to the

problems. The options of voluntary repatriation and local resettlement

are ones which deserve to be fully explored.

SOUTH EAST ASIAN DEPARTMENT

1 NOVEMBER 1983

4

CONFIDENTIAL

Page 180Page 181