CODE 18-77
Reference...
Question 3: Could the UK absorb 250,000 people?
Answer 3: The numbers involved in the scheme seemed to us the
minimum to be effective. Nonetheless, they included key personnel
They were professional people
only, not the bulk of the population.
who would not be a burden on society. However, the Secretary of
State reiterated that our aim was to persuade people to remain in
Hong Kong.
Question 4: Would the scheme have the desired effect in Hong Kong
and was it not elitist?
Answer 4: We were compiling evidence of people who would have left Hong Kong but, with the possibility of the assurances scheme, would now stay. The scheme was elitist and we would have to defend it on
that basis. The choice was between a scheme which was elitist and
no scheme.
Question 5: The scheme would not cover lower ranking police officers yet they were in the front line when it came to dealing with politically inspired disturbances.
Answer 5: There would be a category for the Disciplined Services but also for people who were vulnerable, either through their job or
their own behaviour.
Question 6: Had many applications yet been made and would granting of a place be conditional on staying in Hong Kong?
Answer 6: Once the legislation was ready and through Parliament, the application procedure would begin. We expected a massive response. Granting of a place conditional on staying in Hong Kong was difficult either someone was granted a passport or not. They then had to be free to do as they wished. (The Secretary of State referred to the problems for confidence caused by the Labour Party's
attitude to the package).
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