TNAG-1744-FCO40-2463-Visits-by-FCO-officials-to-Hong-Kong--including-visit-by-Lor-1988 — Page 158

CONFIDENTIAL

2.

The

The background to recent cases is as follows. On 9 April two Hong Kong British passport holders at Heathrow were refused permission to enter the UK for a visit. One carried a BDTC passport and the other a BN (0) passport. The two men have complained to

OMELCO about their treatment and have alleged police brutality.

Home Office have now received a written appeal from the two men

refused entry.

This will be handled in accordance with normal

procedures. The two men's complaints of brutality by the police

will be handled under the normal procedures for such matters by the

Police Complaints Authority, as and when a formal complaint is

received by the Authority.

3.

Fourteen further Hong Kong British passport holders were

refused entry at Dover on 29 April. An appeal has been lodged with

the Immigration Service. The Immigration Service have reported that, of the tour group concerned, whose members were individually interviewed and whose cases were individually assessed, a number

failed to satisfy the Immigration Officer that they intended to stay

as visitors only for the period stated. There were inconsistencies

in onward flight details, and the cost of the holiday appeared greatly disproportionate to their claimed incomes and financial

circumstances.

4.

On the Heathrow incident, from further information provided so

far by the Home Office it appears that the decision to refuse entry

was based on the following facts:

(a) The men failed to satisfy the Immigration Officers that they indeed intended just a visit to the UK. Apparently they had left their tour group. They told officials they wished to stay in the UK for 2/3 days, when in fact they had onward tickets for Hong

Kong on the following day (on Cathay Pacific). The officials

deduced that the claimed period of stay was chosen at random, and

that they could well have been intending to stay longer.

(b) One man had a black suit (perceived to be a waiter's

uniform) and details of restaurants in his luggage, which led

CONFIDENTIAL