§ Mr. FoulkesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if in the light of the agreement by the United States of America, Canada and Australia to admit more Vietnamese refugees, he will now confirm the agreement to increase the United Kingdom quota announced on 22 December 1988; what the arrangements will be for the increased numbers; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WaldegravePursuant to the answer my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State gave to the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes) on 21 February at column 539, we announced on 22 December 1988 that we were prepared in principle to contribute to a major international effort to tackle the problem of Vietnamese boat people in Hong Kong by taking a further 1,000 Vietnamese refugees from Hong Kong over two to three years, provided that others were prepared to contribute commensurately. We have conducted a vigorous diplomatic campaign to urge other resettlement countries to match what we intend to do by accepting substantial additional numbers of Vietnamese refugees from Hong Kong. The response to our call has been very good and amounts to a significantly increased international effort.
Accordingly, we have decided to proceed with our new resettlement plans. The refugees will be resettled in ways which minimise the pressure on housing resources in certain urban areas of the country.