TNAG-1423-FCO40-1906-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-general-1985 — Page 113

MINISTER OF STATE

катрик Capy of this letter on

243/5.

A cory to

Reg

作

Mr

CAR UND

2

ра

ого

52

Richs

HOME OFFICE

QUEEN ANNE'S GATE

LONDON SWIH 9AT

31 JAN 1985

Received

1/2/85.

SCORRI

The Hartland. Surran, Sito

CC!

32

THIS

COPY

FOR

Puffer Lace In Golsworthy, HILD Polimenty

Clerk

We spoke recently about your forthcoming appearance before SCORRI and the pressure you are likely to face on the question of the United Kingdom taking more refugees from the camps in Hong Kong.

I am

You indicated that if pressed you would be minded to say that you saw some benefit in a Government gesture towards those in the Hong Kong camps. inclined to agree with you and am writing to the British Refugee Council in advance of the Sub-Committee's report to confirm that I would be prepared to consider individual cases which the BRC may wish to refer to me on the lines discussed at my meeting with Lord Ennals last October. I do not think that we can go any further until we see what the Sub-Committee has to say.

1/

I am sure that you will agree that we must ensure that our Departments are seen to be acting in concert on what is a complex and very emotional subject. I do not consider that we should give the Sub-Committee any indication as to what we would consider to be a reasonable number. It should suffice to say that we have discussed the matter and that, while we agree that some form of Government initiative might be necessary, it would be prudent to await the Sub-Committee's report. It may well be that in the light of their recommendations an official from my Refugee Unit should visit the camps and report back to me on the situation there before I make a final decision.

It would be helpful to have an early sight of your briefing for next week and if you feel that we should meet to discuss this further please let me know.

HKK 243/2

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

-

6 FEB 1985

DESK OPPICE

INDEX

You

enfans

REGISTRY

PA

Дн

Teken

Mess

HKCK

349|1

(DAVID WADDINGTON)

ther

A

द

4/2

SH

Richard Luce Esq. M.P.