TNAG-1418-FCO40-1901-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1985 — Page 100

EARLY DAY MOTION 690 FAMILIES OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

LINE TO TAKE

The Government is carefully considering the Committee's report and will respond to its recommendations as soon as possible. It has noted the strong recommendation that family reunion criteria should be relaxed in respect of Vietnamese in camps in countries of temporary asylum, and is considering that in the overall context of the Committee's proposals about

Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong.

BACKGROUND NOTE

MKCK 243/2_.

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

29 MAY 1985

X

INDANSK DEFICIE

✓

REGISTRY

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The House of Commons Home Affairs Committe's report on Refugees and Asylum with special reference to the Vietnamese was published on 18 April 1985. The first part deals with

Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong. It makes a number of

recommendations aimed at substantially reducing the size of Hong Kong's refugee problem and abolishing the closed camps (which were introduced for those arriving after July 1982 as

a means of deterring other Vietnamese).

1

The Early Day Motion refers specifically to the Committee's

recommendation that the family reunion criteria for Vietnamese in camps in countries of temporary asylum should be relaxed. At present, unless there are exceptional compassionate circumstances, only the spouses and minor dependent children

of Vietnamese refugees in this country, as of other refugees,

are admitted. The Committee recommended that the criteria

should be extended to include parents, grandparents, grandchildren

and brothers and sisters. It is estimated that there are about

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