TNAG-1526-FCO40-2090-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1986 — Page 11

G

HOME OFFICE

Lunar House Wellesley Road Croydon CR9 2BY

Telegram Immnat Croydon

R Court Esq

South East Asian Department

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Telephone 01-686 0333 ext

2527

Please reply to The Under Secretary of State Your reference

Our reference

Date

4 August 1986

Scar Robert

SCORRI S E ASIAN INTAKE

I attach, as promised, a breakdown of the applications made by the Refugee Agencies for consideration under the SCORRI Scheme. This is a rather rough and ready analysis and may not reflect all the cases concerned. Unfortunately, the agencies have a habit of trying to move the goalposts halfway through the game. Their definition of SE Asia is also rather wider than mine.

As you know, we only have authority to admit 60 people from SE Asia and we therefore are likely to concentrate initially in the areas of greatest need, Malaysia and Thailand. I have also advised the agencies that it would be unacceptable on general policy grounds to take any refugees from Taiwan.

We are currently trying to sort out the priorities of the Scheme and the practicalities of arranging the intake and I shall consult you on the more detailed proposals once we have formulated them. As you will recognise, we shall need Ministerial clearance to exceed the original figure of 60 agreed in our response to the SCORRI report and there can be no question of us accepting the 221 for whom the agencies have applied.

Enc

Yours sincerely Jing Harden.

MISS A E HEBDEN

Refugee & Special Cases Section