TNAG-1526-FCO40-2090-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1986 — Page 7

BOLD TYPE

Reply to

Government Reply

from the

Report

the Third Home Affairs Committee

FAMILY REUNION CRITERIA

Recommendation 1

ITALICS ->

Family reunion criteria should be relaxed in respect of Vietnamese in camps in countries of temporary asylum

6. The Government accepts this recommendation.

7. The current family reunion criteria were introduced in July 1981. This brought Vietnamese refugees into line with all other refugees. Normally, agreement is given to the entry of the spouse and minor children of the refugee but not of other relatives. Exceptions are made but usually only in the most compelling compassionate circumstances.

8.

As the Committee records, a proposal by the British Refugee Council that the criteria be relaxed in respect of 584 refugees in Hong Kong with relatives in Britain was rejected in 1984. But, at the same time, the admission from Hong Kong of a small number of unaccompanied minor children was agreed. However, in the light of the Committee's report, HMG accept that it would now be right to accept for settlement all of the identified cases still in Hong Kong, now estimated to be about 420, and the small number (about 60) in other camps in South East Asia, provided that those concerned wish to come here and their relatives are prepared to sponsor them. Processing of the cases will start immediately. In accordance with the Committee's recommenda- tion, this relaxation of the normal family reunion criteria will not apply to relatives in Vietnam or to future arrivals in Hong Kong or other countries of temporary asylum.