§ Lord Brockwayasked Her Majesty's Government:
What action has been taken arising from the evidence given to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees in Hong Kong that a syndicate charged £3,000 per person for refugees to leave Vietnam by boat and bribed officials to enable them to depart.
§ Lord CarringtonHer Majesty's Government have taken no direct action. We do not consider that representations on this issue would have any effect. Nevertheless we believe that illegal departures from Vietnam, and the bribery that goes with them, would be greatly reduced if the Vietnamese Government facilitated departures by orderly channels. The Vietnamese Government are well aware of our views. We shall repeat them at a meeting to be held shortly in Geneva by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, at which Vietnam will be represented.