HL Deb 13 March 1980 vol 406 cc1202-4

3.9 p.m.

The Earl of SELKIRK

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many countries have granted permanent residence to refugees from South and East Asia.

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, according to the latest available information, 29 countries have granted permanent residence to 50 or more refugees from South East Asia since 1975. A further 21 countries have accepted smaller numbers.

The Earl of SELKIRK

My Lords, may I ask whether any of the countries which have accepted refugees for resettlement are governed by the political philosophy of communism? May I ask further whether the present situation is fair to Hong Kong? Would the noble Lord agree that no country has shown more humanity, with all that that means in money, than both the people and the Government of Hong Kong? And yet today there are more refugees in Hong Kong than in any other country, and the percentage of these refugees who have been found asylum is smaller than that percentage in any other country.

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, I cannot see from the list in front of me any country—except the People's Republic of China, which has accepted far more than any other country—which has a communist régime. I might want to consider that more carefully, but I cannot see any from the list. As for the position of Hong Kong, it is certainly true that they have played a quite remarkable role in this matter. The latest figures I have are that 9,330 refugees have been accepted for permanent settlement in Hong Kong, which of course is a number way in excess of any they might be expected to take on purely numerical considerations.

Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS

My Lords, would the Minister agree that his remarks about Hong Kong and the extraordinary efforts which the governor, the Government, and the people of Hong Kong have made to help in this appallingly difficult problem, would be greatly appreciated in the Colony? We on this side of the House would like to associate ourselves very markedly with what he and the noble Earl have said about the contribution of Hong Kong to at least a partial amelioration of this immense human tragedy in this part of the world.

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, that intervention is, as always, most helpful.

Baroness VICKERS

My Lords, may I ask whether anything can be done to help Belize? They have offered to take 1,000 of these refugees and they cannot get sufficient money to do it. They have approached Geneva and, I gather, also this Government. Is there any chance of getting it? It is a very underpopulated country, and they would be very welcome.

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, I am not aware of the particular matter which my noble friend raises. Perhaps I can look into it and get in touch with my noble friend.

Lord PAGET of NORTHAMPTON

My Lords, would the noble Lord agree that the acceptance of a refugee involves a moral obligation to protect him? Would the noble Lord remind the United States of America and Mexico of that fact?

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, I think I would want to consider the implications of that supplementary.

The Earl of SELKIRK

My Lords, am I correct in thinking that there are something like 50,000 refugees still in Hong Kong, and according to the noble Lord's figures less than 10 per cent. have been found permanent asylum? Is that not quite a lot less than the percentage in almost every other country in South East Asia?

Lord TREFGARNE

No, my Lords; the noble Earl has misunderstood what I said. There are 50,000 or so refugees in Hong Kong presently who are slowly but surely being found permament places around the world; but the fact, as I mentioned earlier, that Hong Kong has accepted nearly 10,000 refugees for permanent settlement is very satisfactory indeed.