Hong Kong (Hansard, 14 November 1989)

§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Brabazon of Tara)
My Lords, we are working vigorously on a range of issues of concern to Hong Kong. In particular we are rallying international support for the territory as part of our efforts to restore confidence and we are intensifying our efforts to find a humane and durable solution to the problems of Vietnamese boat people.

§ Lord Eden of Winton
My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that reply. However, is it not the case that the purpose which Her Majesty's Government have in mind of trying to establish some kind of selective passport scheme is in order to maintain the stability and economic progress of Hong Kong? In those circumstances will the Government ensure that the number in receipt of passports is generous; by which I mean at least half a million? Will he make it clear that the issue of passports is designed to keep people in Hong Kong and to discourage them from leaving Hong Kong in order to find their own salvation elsewhere? Therefore, will the Government associate the passport scheme with the waiving of resident rights?
Very briefly as regard the Vietnamese boat people, will my noble friend agree that the numbers coming into Hong Kong have increased from 1,000 in 1985 to 33,000 in the first nine months of this year? In those circumstances, surely urgent action to repatriate them to their own country is now essential.

§ Lord Brabazon of Tara
My Lords, my noble friend asked a number of questions. On the progress of the nationality scheme we are working urgently on a scheme to give the assurance of right of abode to some people in both private and public sectors on the basis of value of service to Hong Kong as well as connections with the United Kingdom. Our aim is to give to those people whose professional, administrative, technical and managerial skills are essential to the continued success of Hong Kong confidence to remain in the territory, which was a point raised by my noble friend.
As regards the suggestion about numbers, I must ask your Lordships to be patient. We hope to be able to announce details around the turn of the year.
I must also point out that there are now almost 57,000 Vietnamese boat people in Hong Kong, of 1216 whom about 40,000 are likely to be screened out as non-refugees. As I said in my original Answer, we are working urgently to find a humane and durable solution to that problem.

§ Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos
My Lords, I should like to ask the noble Lord a question concerning the position of the Basic Law. Is it not the case at present that the Legislative Council is asking for more elected members in the elections to the Legislative Council to be held in 1991? Can the noble Lord say whether Her Majesty's Government are adhering to the original 10 or are they prepared to concede that the Legislative Council has a good case when it asks for more than that; for example, as many as 40 per cent. of the total?
Secondly, can the Minister say whether he has seen the newspaper reports yesterday and today which make serious allegations; namely, that Her Majesty's Government have given secret assurances to the Chinese Government that there will be no meaningful political reform before 1997? Will the noble Lord deny that categorically?

§ Lord Brabazon of Tara
My Lords, as regards the noble Lord's first point on the representative government, that whole subject is under very active consideration both here and in Hong Kong. We need to reconsider the present plans for the Legislative Council elections in 1991. However, we shall want to ensure that the decisions which we take are the right ones and reflect the wishes of the community as a whole. Of course, since June there has been cause for a faster rate of change but no clear consensus within Hong Kong has yet emerged. The OMELCO proposals are a significant development which has helped to stimulate debate in Hong Kong. We shall wish to see what comes out of those.
The Basic Law, which the noble Lord also mentioned, is a different matter from the one to which I have just referred. That is a matter for the Chinese Government. However, we are right to satisfy ourselves that the provisions of the Basic Law fully accord with the terms of the Joint Declaration.
Regarding the noble Lord's last question, I have no knowledge that what is reported in the newspaper has any basis of truth. I shall certainly look into the matter and I hope to take a suitable opportunity to give the noble Lord the reassurance which he seeks.

§ Lord Bonham-Carter
My Lords, will the Minister be so good as to inform the House whether Her Majesty's Government have made a direct appeal to the Commonwealth, to the European Community and to the United States to take in, in the worst possible case, the inhabitants of Hong Kong? If the Government have made that appeal, will he tell us what the response has been?

§ Lord Brabazon of Tara
My Lords, since June we have done everything possible to rally international support for Hong Kong, including the idea of a multinational safety net, as part of our efforts to restore confidence in the territory. We have raised the matter on numerous occasions, including the Madrid European Council, the Paris Economic 1217 Summit and the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, as well as in bilateral contacts with, among others, the United States, Canada and Australia.
In both the Paris summit and the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting our partners publicly acknowledged that the international community has an important role to play in maintaining confidence in Hong Kong.

§ Lord Geddes
My Lords, to reinforce the point made in the first supplementary by my noble friend Lord Eden, does my noble friend agree that there is a close parallel in the recent example of East Germany where citizens of that country, having gained freedom of egress and right of abode, have apparently chosen to either stay in or return to their country?

§ Lord Brabazon of Tara
My Lords, the comparison between Hong Kong and East Germany is not entirely relevant. The Federal German Government consider that all Germans have a right to settle in the Federal Republic, where in any case many of the newest arrivals already have family or friends. British dependent territory citizens, however, do not have a right of abode in the United Kingdom in accordance with the British Nationality Act. The point my noble friend makes —that having been given the right to come they may perhaps return —is quite a good one.

§ Baroness Ewart-Biggs
My Lords, concerning the Minister's words on finding a humane solution to the problem of the Vietnam refugees, can he say whether a forced repatriation could be part of that solution? Alternatively, are there any plans to give economic and development aid to Vietnam in order to encourage the voluntary repatriations which we should all like to see?

§ Lord Brabazon of Tara
My Lords, of course we wish voluntary repatriation to go as far as possible, and a number of people have already returned voluntarily. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that voluntary repatriation alone cannot provide the comprehensive solution. That is why the international community accepted that all those screened out as non-refugees should in due course be returned to Vietnam.
In regard to the use of force, normal deportation procedures will be used. These are similar procedures which are applied world-wide in deporting illegal immigrants. We certainly do not rule out reintegration assistance to Vietnam as part of a comprehensive repatriation programme.

Lord Morris
My Lords, as part of the restoration, or rather the maintenance of the confidence of the people of Hong Kong in their future, will my noble friend comment on a recent summary dismissal from the committee on the draft laws by the Peking Government? I refer to Mr. Martin Lee and one other member of the Legislative Council whose name I cannot pronounce.

§ Lord Brabazon of Tara
My Lords, as I indicated earlier, the Basic Law is a matter for the Chinese Government and members of the Basic Law drafting committee are appointed by a standing committee at the National People's Congress. Suspension of the two gentlemen concerned, therefore, is a matter for the Chinese authorities. We have made clear to the Chinese authorities on a number of occasions our hope that they will take account of the full range of opinion in Hong Kong in the drafting of the Basic Law. There still remain 18 Hong Kong members out of a total of 51 on the drafting commit:ee. The point my noble friend makes regarding confidence, which I made in my original Answer, is a valid one in this case.

§ Lord Jenkins of Putney
My Lords, will the noble Lord go a little further than simply not ruling out aid to Vietnam? Is it not the unique denial of international help which has placed Vietnam in a situation which people run away from rather than stay in? In these circumstances would not a positive endeavour to bring international help to Vietnam reverse that situation and be one of the best things that could be done to bring about a willingness to return to that country?

§ Lord Brabazon of Tara
My Lords, as I said, we do not rule out reintegration assistance, but to qualify for a full programme of aid Vietnam must first fulfil its responsibilities towards its own people and to its neighbours. There is a lot the Vietnamese themselves could do to bring themselves back into the international community and to become more suitable recipients of aid.

§ Lord Eden of Winton
My Lords, is it not clear that approximately 90 per cent. of the boat people now coming to Hong Kong are very poor peasant farmers, fishermen and others from North Vietnam who are in search of El Dorado and who in no way come within the interpretation of Aricle 14(1) of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights?

§ Lord Brabazon of Tara
My Lords, I do not have in percentage terms the figure to which my noble friend refers, but, as I said earlier, there are 57,000 people in Hong Kong of whom approximately 40,000 are likely to be screened out as non-refugees.