TNAG-1802-FCO40-2562-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-resettlement-in-the-UK-1988 — Page 211

There's been increasing

pressure on Britain to accept more refugees from Hong Kong particularly since the introduction of the new screening policy which is expected now to contain the problem. How willing is the Government

to take the lead in this regard?

Our record shows clearly that we have been ready to play a substantial part.

Over 20,000 Vietnamese refugees have settled in the United Kingdom in the last

ten years.

That is more than the total number of asylum-seekers from all

other parts of the world who we have recognised as refugees or allowed to stay on an exceptional basis during the same period. We are continuing to accept

new arrivals from Hong Kong under the programme announced in May 1987, direct

from Vietnam under the Orderly Departure Programme (ODP) and through our

commitment to the Rescue at Sea Resettlement Offers (RASRO) scheme organised by

UNHCR. There are now suggestions that we should do more. We are looking at

resettlement together with all the other options for helping to improve the present difficult situation. No decision has yet been taken.

la. The UK Government has recently donated a million pounds to the UNHCR to

assist with the refugee programmes they will be conducting in Hong Kong as a

result of the recent agreement between the international body and the HK Government. I understand that this is part of a package of measures, what else is the British Government considering?

The donation to UNHCR was made in the context of very substantial support by

the United Kingdom for their valuable work all around the world. We are ready

to consider all the options available to ease the difficulties faced by Hong

Kong and the problem of Vietnamese boat people more generally.

Is this an

2. It's been suggested by the British Refugee Council in a letter to Mr Hurd that Britain increases its quota from twenty to sixty a month. unreasonable request?

We are

But in

We have to look at the whole of the United Kingdom's commitment.

currently receiving about twenty new arrivals a month from Hong Kong. addition arrivals direct from Vietnam under the ODP have been accelerating and

are currently running at about thirty a month. We also need to look at arrangements to receive new arrivals. These are provided by voluntary agencies with financial support from the Government. The ability of the agencies to expand their operations and the financial implications of that are