TNAG-1423-FCO40-1906-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-general-1985 — Page 166

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From: P J Westmacott Date: 22 January 1985

CC: PS

Sir W Harding

Dr Wilson

Mr Houston

Parliamentary Unit

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12

HONG KONG: CALL ON MR LUCE BY GOVERNOR

1. Sir E Youde called briefly on Mr Luce this morning.

Hong Kong Bill

2. Mr Luce explained that Ministers had just been discussing follow up to last night's debate. They were concerned that MPS should not be given the impression that the Government was steamrollering the Bill through Parliament. The Secretary of State had therefore agreed to ask the Whips to delay the Committee stage of the Bill for a week from 28 January, when it is now due to be taken. You mentioned that the motion and amendments put down by the Opposition and by Mr Powell last night were complicating factors.

weaken the argument

3. Mr Luce said that a delay could that it was not possible to seek Hong Kong views on the new nationality title in time to include it in the Bill by way of an amendment at the Committee stage. In discussion, it was agreed that the Governor would telegraph Hong Kong views in a week's time so that it would be possible, if appropriate, to insert an amendment at the Committee stage on its new date.

4.

Mr Luce said that Ministers would be looking for a way of allowing the House to debate the Order in Council on nationality first in draft and again when it was formally tabled by the Government.

Joint Funding Scheme for Hong Kong Students

5. Sir E Youde said he wished to register the political value of this scheme. He hoped that Ministers would be able to continue it beyond the first three year period which was now coming to an end. You supported the Governor's remarks, but commented that a presentational difficulty arose from the fact that not all the allocated funds had been spent during the initial period.

Vietnamese Refugees

6. The Governor said it was clear, from his recent visit to the United States, that the Americans would not increase their immigration quota. The Hong Kong Government now needed to stop the inward flow of refugees by dealing with them as illegal immigrants. The Vietnamese Government should be pressurized into

CONFIDENTIAL

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