HC Deb 05 March 1982 vol 19 cc252-3W
Sir John Biggs-Davison

asked the Lord Privy Seal what assistance Her Majesty's Government have provided, through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, or otherwise, to countries giving first asylum to boat people.

Mr. Neil Marten

Her Majesty's Government have provided no direct assistance to countries giving first asylum to boat people. Some indirect assistances has been provided through the Overseas Development Administration under the following headings:

  1. (a) Contributions to the UNHCR special appeals for Indo-Chinese refugees: £1.5 million in 1978, and £2.5 million in 1979;
  2. (b) Since 1979 £41,582 towards the Save the Children refugee medical team in Hong Kong;
  3. (c) Recently assistance to the UNHCR Gulf of Thailand anti-piracy programme.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Carshalton (Mr. Forman) on 4 March—[Vol. 19, c. 209–10.]

Some part of our annual contribution to UNHCR'S general programme may also go towards assisting the boat people, but I do not have details of specific amounts.

Unemployed by age and duration at 14 January 1982 Cleveland
Males Females
Duration in weeks Under 25 25–54 55 and over All ages Under 25 25–54 55 and over All ages
2 or less 446 587 127 1,160 566 222 11 799
Over 2 and up to 4 weeks 481 645 159 1,285 332 107 8 447
Over 4 and up to 8 weeks 979 1,281 291 2,551 660 330 16 1,006
Over 8 and up to 13 weeks 1,072 1,478 374 2,924 711 473 36 1,220
Over 13 and up to 26 weeks 2,593 2,972 965 6,530 1,954 1,024 86 3,064
Over 26 and up to 52 weeks 2,668 3,641 1,903 8,212 1,808 1,273 132 3,213
Over 52 and up to 104 weeks 2,907 5,068 2,145 10,120 1,243 1,053 175 2,471
Over 104 and up to 156 weeks 807 1,800 511 3,118 265 230 58 553
Over 156 weeks 276 1,876 878 3,030 118 247 116 481
Total 12,229 19,348 7,353 38,930 7,657 4,959 638 13,254

Cumbria
Males Females
Duration in weeks Under 25 25–54 55 and over All ages Under 25 25–54 55 and over All ages
2 or less 301 320 76 697 312 207 20 539
Over 2 and up to 4 weeks 247 346 105 698 280 145 17 442
Over 4 and up to 8 weeks 505 709 185 1,399 423 291 22 736
Over 8 and up to 13 weeks 673 879 205 1,757 645 532 33 1,210
Over 13 and up to 26 weeks 1,247 1,486 652 3,385 1,097 737 75 1,909
Over 26 and up to 52 weeks 1,075 1,443 724 3,242 972 825 100 1,897
Over 52 and up to 104 weeks 826 1,438 792 3,056 563 571 101 1,235
Over 104 and up to 156 weeks 132 383 198 713 86 150 48 284
Over 156 weeks 40 359 352 751 34 102 72 208
Total 5,046 7,363 3,289 15,698 4,412 3,560 488 8,460

Durham
Males Females
Duration in weeks Under 25 25–54 55 and over All ages Under 25 25–54 55 and over All ages
2 or less 449 524 145 1,118 419 229 12 660
Over 2 and up to 4 weeks 432 537 130 1,099 313 130 2 445
Over 4 and up to 8 884 1,207 184 2,275 637 396 24 1,057
Over 8 and up to 13 weeks 856 1,166 252 2,274 667 481 27 1,175
Over 13 and up to 26 weeks 1,986 2,207 702 4,895 1,618 932 69 2,619
Over 26 and up to 52 weeks 2,027 2,880 1,217 6,124 1,406 1,429 137 2,972
Over 52 and up to 104 weeks 1,838 3,476 1,598 6,912 814 1,045 152 2,011
Over 104 and up to 156 weeks 321 959 508 1,788 135 203 49 387
Over 156 weeks 97 959 825 1,881 56 190 108 354
Total 8,890 13,915 5,561 28,366 6,065 5,035 580 11,680

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