TNAG-1853-FCO40-2628-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 37

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notified to the House in answer to a written Parliamentary Question

on 12 December. This new tranche consists of £5.6 million towards

the cost of improvement works to emergency accommodation already

under construction so as to ensure that it is secure and able to

withstand severe weather conditions; and £5 million towards the

funding of a new camp in Tai a Chau in the Soko islands.

Accommodation: Expenditure by the Hong Kong Government

have

7. In the 10 year period from 1979/80 to 1988/89, the Hong Kong

Government has spent a total of £34.19 million on the construction

of accommodation for Vietnamese boat people and a further £87.32 million on the cost of running the camps, £ll.83 million of which

was subsequently reimbursed by UNHCR. The total net cost to the Hong

In

Kong Government over this period was therefore £109.68 million. the current year, the Hong Kong Government expect to spend £48.92 million on the capital costs of accommodation for Vietnamese boat people and £54.75 million on recurrent expenditure, of which £13.33 million is expected to be reimbursed by UNHCR. The total net cost to the Hong Kong Government this year is expected to be

£90.34 million.

Repatriation

8.

As far as repatriation is concerned, the British Government contributed £71,000 earlier this year towards the voluntary repatriation programme operated by the UNHCR. The funds made available for this programme have covered travel costs, reintegration assistance to the Vietnamese authorities and pocket money for the individual returnees ($US 50 for each adult volunteer and US$ 30 for each child). So far 627 volunteers have returned to Vietnam under this programme.

9.

have

Recently, the British Government has also paid or pledged £30,000 towards the costs of the first non-voluntary repatriation exercise. This figure represents 50% of the direct costs of the operation. (The other 50% will be borne by the Hong Kong Government.) It includes our contribution towards the cost of air

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