TNAG-1849-FCO40-2624-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 20

24 MAY '89 19:48

FROM COI TECH RADIO

V1 633 0920

AGE.018

TRANSCRIPT I SELECT CODITTER OF HONG KONG

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24 MAY 1989

2 -

KR RENTON (CONT);

previous meetings, I think all of us would find it very

very hard to believe, if not impossible, that it would be

reasonable to accept the possibility of 3.25 million

coming into this country for settlement here from any

source, be it Falkland Islanders, be it Hong Kong, be it

Africa.

Bear in mind that primary settlement, people coming

in for settlement in this country now, is runnig at under

50,000 year, so you are talking of an annual figure

multiplied by a factor of over 60 in order to arrive at a

figure of over 3 million.

But that apart, yes, I think all of us in the House

at the time would say it was not just the fact that it was

a very small number, 400, it was in very definite

recognition and following on the part played by Falkland

Islanders in the war with Argentina.

MR TAYLOR

I accept of course the position about the Falklands

but I think that it was helpful for you to put your views

on-the-record about the numbers.