TNAG-1854-FCO40-2629-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-memoranda-and-minutes-of-me-1989 — Page 89

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 15 February 1989

香港立法局 一九八九年二月十五日

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MRS. CHOW: I do not think the Secretary has answered the first part of my question which is: as regards ex-gratia payments, is Government satisfied with the reply given by the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation vis-a-vis disclosure to the public or non-disclosure to the public?

SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT: Sir, I think, as I said at the beginning, the Government has understood the details of the package agreed and approved by the managing board of the corporation, and the Government has also asked the corporation whether it can give the details to the public. The corporation has taken the line that it cannot because of contractual commitments, and Government accepts this explanation.

Government policy on Vietnamese refugees and boat people

8. DR. TSE asked: Sir, in view of the public concern over the confusion which seems to exist in the community about changes of government policy on Vietnamese refugees and boat people since 16 June 1988, will the Administration inform this Council :

(a) what the major reasons for the adoption of the open camp policy were;

(b) how many Vietnamese refugees the Government has accepted for permanent settlement in Hong Kong so far; what is the total quota for settlement the Government has committed;

(c) whether the Vietnamese refugees will become permanent residents

after they have stayed in Hong Kong for seven years;

(d) whether the children born of the Vietnamese refugee parents are

automatically entitled to permanent residency if they so choose;

(e) how the new screening policy for the Vietnamese boat people would

be monitored in order to assess its effectiveness; and

(f) whether forced repatriation would be considered if the voluntary

repatriation scheme turns out to be unpopular?

Sir, I apologize for the length of the question.