TNAG-1417-FCO40-1900-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1985 — Page 83

Mr Hartland-Swann, SEAD

CONFIDENTIAL

Mr. Gals hot, has sean)

a

14

Лик Посте вы

They appear to be Mr Price heading for the

Bente SCORRI Most unrealistic

FROM: P J WESTMACOTT

DATE: 24 January 1985

cc PS/Mr Renton

PS/PUS

Sir W Harding

Dr Wilson

HKD

UND

recommendation open to ther

&other, ie. that HK shad settle referees in HK,

tope it's comps, this

ng it, only reas

Copy deterrence!

COPY

FOR

I

Luul 28

De can only

To this is se

ar

grem selling to offer.

SCORRI ENQUIRY INTO VIETNAMESE REFUGEE PROBLEM

1. Mr Luce had a word with Mr Wheeler, the Chairman of SCORRI, in the lobby last night.

2. Mr Wheeler told him that he was coming round to the view that settling Vietnamese refugees in the UK was proving very difficult. He therefore doubted whether it would be right for the SCORRI report to call for a significant increase in the UK quota. Instead, in his view, it might make sense encourage Hong Kong to absorb larger numbers on a permanent basis. Mr Luce warned that this proposal would arouse great resentment in Hong Kong. It is nevertheless a line of questioning which SCORRI may pursue when the Minister gives evidence on 4 February.

3.

Mr Wheeler confirmed that several members of SCORRI, particularly on the Labour side, were likely to press for the UK to take some kind of international initiative on quotas. He also confirmed that SCORRI would be critical of the existence of closed camps in Hong Kong, and would be calling for their early abolition.

HACK 243/2

RECEIVED

2

INDEX

1

as

MY

JISTRY

tion Taken

1807

Thermaron

P J WESTMACOTT PS/Mr Luce

CONFIDENTIAL