!
RESTRICTED
TOP COPY
33485 - 2
124
123
PP HONG KONG
GRS 389
RESTRICTED
FM FCO 191600Z JUL 85
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1047 OF 19 JULY
INFO SAVING HKGO LONDON
YOUR TELNO 1427: VIETNAMESE REFUGEES: SCORRI REPORT
1. CLIVE SOLEY MP HAS NOW PUT DOWN THE FOLLOWING QUESTION FOR
WRITTEN REPLY:
'TO ASK THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT, WHEN THE
GOVERNMENT PLAN TO PUBLISH THEIR RESPONSE TO THE HOME AFFAIRS
COMMITTEE'S REPORT ON REFUGEES AND ASYLUM.'
2. HOME OFFICE OFFICIALS ARE SUBMITTING THE FOLLOWING DRAFT
REPLY TO THEIR MINISTERS:
'PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE IN PREPARING A RESPONSE TO THE
COMMITTEE'S REPORT, BUT SOME OF ITS RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH RAISE
IMPORTANT ISSUES, REQUIRE FURTHER CONSIDERATION, AND I AM NOT YET
IN A POSITION TO GIVE A DATE FOR PUBLICATION.' THE REPLY WILL
PROBABLY BE GIVEN ON TUESDAY 23 JULY.
3. ON THE PROCEDURES FOR RESPONDING TO SCORRI (PARA 2 OF YOUR
TELNO 1405) THE POSITION IS AS FOLLOWS:
(A) THE GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE TO ANY SELECT COMMITTEE REPORT
MUST BE DELIVERED FIRST TO PARLIAMENT. (THIS MEANS THAT COMMENTS
ON THE REPORT BY OFFICIALS OR MINISTERS SHOULD NOT ANTICIPATE
THAT REPLY.)
>
(B) THE REPLY NEED NOT NECESSARILY TAKE THE FORM OF A WHITE
PAPER (ALTERNATIVES ARE MEMORANDA OR LETTERS TO THE COMMITTEE
OR ANSWERS TO PQS), BUT A WHITE PAPER (IE COMMAND PAPER) WOULD BE
THE MOST APPROPRIATE CHOICE FOR A MAJOR REPORT SUCH AS SCORRI'S.
(C) AS SCORRI IS A SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE HOME AFFAIRS COMMITTEE,
THE HOME OFFICE ARE FORMALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLYING TO ITS
REPORTS. THIS MEANS THAT THE COMMAND PAPER REPLYING TO THE REPORT
ON REFUGEES WILL BE PUBLISHED IN THE NAME OF THE HOME SECRETARY.
HOWEVER, AS YOU KNOW, IT WILL INCLUDE AN FCO CONTRIBUTION ON
MATTERS FOR WHICH WE ARE RESPONSIBLE.
1
RESTRICTED
MKK 243/2
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
INDEX
2 ? JUL 1985
OFFICEM
PA
REGISTRY
Action Taken
•28
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.