TNAG-1723-FCO40-2436-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 168

why we cannot give

these mothers to stay,

-

- 5 -

special

permission

for

but there is one important reason

that I can make public and that is my belief that there is

no viable reason why we should treat them any better than

any other illegal immigrant mothers whom we have had to

send back to China. And we must not forget also that some of

these illegal immigrant mothers who surfaced as a result or

the exercise we have just been considering have already

returned to China voluntarily.

Dr. HO: Sir, can the Secretary for Security request

the Chinese Government to consider a part of the 75-a-day

these illegal immigrant mothers to return

quota

to

to Hong Kong after they have been repatriated?

SECREATARY FOR SECURITY: Sir, again, can I remind Members

that these illegal immigrant mothers are, in fact,

in fact, queue-

jumpers in terms of those who are waiting in the queue in

China to get one-way permits.

I do not think that within the

75-a-day permits issued they

deserve any particular priority.

Mr. PETER C. WUNG: Sir, can the Secretary confirm that if a

mother with a young child commits an offence and is sentenced to

a term of imprisonment, the fact that sne has a young child

is not sufficient ground to ask the court for a suspended

sentence?

SECRETARY FOR SECURITY: I can confirm, Sir, that is correct.