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3.
had
We were therefore concerned to learn that only 28 refugees had arrived in February, after our intake in January had exceeded 40 for the first time. The fall in arrivals in February seems to have been caused partly by difficulty in finding housing for two families whose resettlement was being organised by Refugee Action, although the Ockenden Venture might have accommodation available. I a m sure we ag ree that it would be very
very disappointing if any Lack of co-ordination betwen the agencies had played a part in this. It must have been hard on the refugees whose hopes we first raised but whose resettlement in the UK was then delayed. Although these families are due to arrive in March, we remain worried that only 37 refugees are due to arrive this month out of the 49 whose details were sent to Hong Kong. Another month when fewer than 40 arrive in the UK for whatever reason,
presentational us in our continuing efforts
to elicit other countries to accept more refugees
Our credibility is to some extent other countrie and with Hong Kong. the voluntary agencies realise how is that they should do everything
everything they can to submit, as agreed at the 21 January meeting, 60 names each month to you in order to ensure 40 arrivals per month.
I understand that a factor in the disparity between the number of names submitted by the agencies and that actually resettled is the inaccuracy, or Lack, of information in their lists. This leads, of course, to some waste of scarce resources as well as a failure to achieve what others expect of
in
terms of
difficulties for commitments from from Hong Kong. stake, both with wonder whether important it is
resettlement.
4.
will
cause
us
a t
I
As I think David Barton of this department said on 21 January,
we shall have difficulty in sustaining our diplomatic campaign if it becomes apparent that we are not achieving a monthly average of around 40 arrivals. Can anything more be done, either by our Departments or by the voluntary agencies? Would it be useful for you or us to approach Lord Chitnis and Julia Meiklejohn, who visited Hong Kong Last month, about any possible failure of co-ordination by the agencies? HKD should, of course, be glad to attend another meeting with the agencies if you consider that this would be useful, or to help
help in any other way that we can.
4.
I
Length, but where we are
a m sorry to trouble you with this at such
we remain very concerned that, at a
time having some success in reducing the numbers
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