TNAG-1853-FCO40-2628-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 36

SUPPLEMENTARY MEMORANDUM ON EXPENDITURE ON VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE

(FCO/FAC/26/89)

Summary

1. At the evidence session on 13 December, the Minister of State, Mr Francis Maude, agreed to provide a note of expenditure by the British and Hong Kong Governments on Vietnamese boat people.

have

2. Since 1988 the British Government has contributed or is

committed to contributing approximately £30 million.

Since 1979, the Hong Kong Government has spent approximately £200 million. attached tables set out the details.

have

The

f.

Accommodation: Expenditure by the British Government

The British Government only began this year to spend substantial

have funds on this problem. The Government has of course always

3.

contributed to the UNHCR's general programme, part of which is used to reimburse the Hong Kong Government for recurrent expenditure on

refugees.

4.

This year the Government have pledged or contributed a total of £28 million towards the Vietnamese boat people problem in Hong Kong. The great majority of these funds have been made available for the construction of emergency accommodation. They have either been channelled through UNHCR or paid direct to the Hong Kong Government.

5.

The funds channelled through UNHCR include a contribution of £6 million to UNHCR's Special Appeal for the construction of the Pillar Point Refugee Camp, £1 million towards other UNHCR appeals for their programme in Hong Kong and £72,000 towards the costs of

two medical consultants.

6. The funds paid direct to the Hong Kong Government include the £4.5 million for emergency accommodation for which provision was made in the Winter Supplementary Estimates and a further tranche of £10.6 million for further and improved accommodation, which was

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