TNAG-1419-FCO40-1902-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1985 — Page 245

COLAIQ

CONFIDENTIAL

SCORRI

REPORT: REFUGEES AND ASYLUM WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE ΤΟ

THE VIETNAMESE

BACKGROUND

1.

This report was

B

published on 18 April 1985. A summary of

The Home Office are

response, which

We shall

of

FCO responsibility.

These

the recommendations is attached.

responsible for coordinating the Government

will probably take the form of a White Paper.

contribute passages on matters

are mainly contained in part

recommendations.

I of the attached table of

Ꭰ

E

F

2.

We are in close touch with the Home Office about

recommendations 1, 4 and 5. The Secretary of State wrote to

on 20 May asking him to accept the 500 or

recommended by SCORRI, and in

the Home Secretary

SO family reunion

cases

a continuing commitment

to accept 500

The Home

addition to make

Vietnemse refugees from Hong Kong each year.

Secretary replied on 15 July agreeing to accept the 500 family

reunion cases, but declining to make any further commitment

for future years.

His reply also explained that the Home

Office do not propose to reply to the report until after the

reces S on the basis that, given the difficulties that the

immigration into

into the UK.

Immigration Rules changes are likely to give rise to in

in the

next few weeks, it would be politically unwise to announce at

the same time another decision that would result in additional

The Secretary of State wrote again

to the Home Secretary on 19 July, pressing his original

request, stressing the need for a speedy response to the

report, and suggesting an urgent meeting to discuss the matter

The Home Secretary has yet to reply.

3.

In answer to a written question by

by Clive

Clive Soley MP, Mr

Waddington replied on 22 July that the Government is not yet

publication of its response

in

a position to give a date for

to SCORRI.

CONFIDENTIAL