HL Deb 16 February 1983 vol 439 cc327-8WA
Lord Bethell

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What efforts they have made to assist the Austrian Government to care for the large number of Polish refugees, estimated now at 20,000, who have gone to Austria to escape the consequences of martial law, and whether they will indicate to the Austrian Government their willingness to follow the example of other developed countries by accepting a number of Polish refugees in the United Kingdom as permanent residents.

Lord Belstead

Her Majesty's Government have informed the Austrian Government that they will consider applications for settlement in the United Kingdom by Poles in Austria within the following criteria:—

  1. (a) that the Polish applicant has been recognised as a refugee in accordance with the definition 328 contained in Article 1 of the 1951 convention relating to the status of refugees and its 1967 protocol;
  2. (b) that by ties of family, education or language the United Kingdom is the most appropriate country of resettlement;
  3. (c) that adequate United Kingdom sponsorship can be shown;
  4. (d) that long-term accommodation can be found privately in the United Kingdom in advance of acceptance into Britain;
  5. (e) that the applicant is personally acceptable for resettlement.

A number of applications from Polish refugees in Austria have now been accepted and a further number are under consideration.