&
19
Hong Kong
15 JULY 1988
confidence in Hong Kong and the conditions that will enable Hong Kong to continue as a thriving territory in which people will wish to make their homes.
Hon. Members of all parties have shared their knowledge and insights when discussing the draft Basic Law. We know that people in Hong Kong will follow today's debate closely. I trust that they will be reassured that the concerns that have emerged in the public debate there have been clearly reflected in the House today.
The hon. Member for Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber (Sir R. Johnston) said that this was the last occasion on which the House would have an opportunity to influence the future of Hong Kong. I doubt that, because I am sure that the House will follow events in Hong Kong closely between now and 1997. I dare say that we will have an opportunity to consider this matter at some stage and in an appropriate way when the second draft of the Basic Law is produced.
Before I turn to the points raised in the debate, I should stress again that we are paying close attention to all the views put forward on the Basic Law. I have no doubt that the Chinese authorities are paying equally close attention. We shall ensure that the record of today's debate is formally brought to the attention of the Chinese Government.
Hon. Members have noted that the Legislative Council in Hong Kong has also debated the Basic Law in the past two days. From the reports that I have received, it was a particularly thoughtful and constructive debate. We shall also ensure that the views expressed in that debate, many of which have been echoed here today, are drawn to the attention of the Chinese Government.
My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary and other hon. Members have paid tribute to the openness with which the drafting of the Basic Law has been pursued. That is a general and strongly held view. We are glad that a number of mainland members of the Basic Law drafting committee visited Hong Kong in June to listen to the views of Hong Kong people. While there. they had oppor- tunities, in discussions with the Governor and his officials to learn about the workings of the Hong Kong Government. We are encouraged by their public statements of readiness to reconsider critically those articles in the draft Basic Law that have given rise to concern in Hong Kong. We welcome the plans for a second group of mainland drafters to pay a similar visit to Hong Kong in September. I am sure that that will be appreciated generally.
I like to cover many of the specific points raised by hon. Members as quickly as I can. If I cannot cover any. I undertake to write to hon. Members in due course. Several hon. Members referred to the Vietnamese refugees. The House is considerably concerned about these people. I am sure that the people of Hong Kong will have been delighted by the support that has been given by this House to the Hong Kong Government in providing assistance and help to the refugees. The people of Hong Kong will also have noted that there has been acceptance by this House of the new proposals that have been introduced in Hong Kong in the past few weeks.
The hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley asked several specific questions. Those who are screened out as non-refugees will be detained as illegal immigrants, pending their return to Vietnam when arrangements for their return under suitable safeguards - I stress those words - have been agreed with the
Hong Kong
750
Vietnamese authorities. Until that time they will be accompanied in closed centres, run on similar lines to the existing closed centres.
We have always made it clear that the boat people would be returned to Vietnam only if there were guarantees that they would be treated humanely. We envisage that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees will play a valuable part in monitoring their conditions on return. Discussions with Vietnam will take place in the fairly near future.
The conditions in the new closed centres will be as similar as possible to those in the previous ones and will be as humane as possible. The correctional services department will run workshops and provide facilities for training and recreation. I can assure the House that families will not be split up and that children will have access to recreational facilities.
We remain conscious of the plight of refugees in Hong Kong who are awaiting resettlement. We are actively considering all aspects of that problem. We are in touch with other Governments about it. In the meantime, our existing resettlement programme is continuing. I can assure my right hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, South (Sir P. Blaker) that we shall take the 468 refugees under our existing commitments. That commitment is in numbers, not names.
The hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) raised a number of questions about endangered species in Hong Kong. There are laws controlling the import and export of the products of endangered species. They are rigorously enforced and a review is under way that will lead to further legislation in the next LegCo Session to tighten up present provisions. I am sure that the hon. Gentleman will be delighted to hear that there will be a ban on the internal sale of rhino horn, to take effect from 1 August this year. I shall write to him about the other points that he mentioned.
Several hon. Members discussed the rate of emigration from Hong Kong. Some called it a brain drain. We must squarely face that problem. The Government do not intend to minimise it. That is why we have welcomed the establishment by the Hong Kong Government of a special task force to study the extent of the problem. At the same time, it is only right to point out that a considerable proportion of emigrants return to Hong Kong when they have established citizenship elsewhere. There was, for instance, and impressive response to recent advertisements for people for specific jobs in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong is also rapidly replenishing its numbers of fully qualified people. There has been a dramatic increase in the number of people graduating from Hong Kong universities. and from overseas universities and then returning to Hong Kong. The number of qualified people is increasing, not decreasing, despite the current level of emigration.
Several hon. Members mentioned the concern felt in Hong Kong about immigration procedures here and the difficulties that some Hong Kong people have encountered when seeking entry into the United Kingdom. My right hon. and learned Friend has already said that he is having discussions with our right hon. Friend the Home Secretary about this, but it is important to put it into perspective. Last year, 61,000 Hong Kong British passport holders travelled to Britain, of whom only 310 were denied entry because immigration officials were not satisfied that the purpose of their visit or proposed length of stay had been
379
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.