HC Deb 13 July 1989 vol 156 cc588-9W
Dr. Marek

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what finance has been made available to the Hong Kong authorities for the care and settlement of Vietnamese boat people over each of the last five years.

Mr. Eggar

The following funds have been made available to the Hong Kong Government for the care of the Vietnamese boat people from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNCHR)'s general programme:

US$ million
1985 4.3
1986 4.8
1987 4.5
1988 9.2
1989 (to date) 7.0

In addition to our regular contributions to the UNHCR's general programme, we have also contributed the following funds to UNHCR for specific Hong Kong purposes:

£ million
1988 1.1
1989 7.1

We have also pledged this year £4.5 million directly to the Hong Kong Government for emergency accommodation, and £5 million towards the cost of a planned refugee processing centre in the Philippines which would accommodate Vietnamese refugees now in Hong Kong.