HC Deb 18 June 1991 vol 193 cc111-3W
Mr. Temple-Morris

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on any discussions he has had with the United States Government on the question of the Vietnamese boat people.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

I refer my hon. Friend to the press release of 5 June entitled "Vietnamese asylum seekers," copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House.

Mr. Temple-Morris

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has to ease the flow of Vietnamese boat people into Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

The best way to stem the flow of Vietnamese asylum seekers is to convince them that if screened out, they stand no chance of resettlement and will be returned to Vietnam whether they wish to go or not. To this end, we are pursuing urgently the possible creation of an internationally managed centre in Vietnam to which non-refugees who do not volunteer could be returned, pending their reintegration into their local communities.

Mr. Temple-Morris

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Vietnamese boat people are expected to be in Hong Kong by the end of 1991.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

It is impossible to predict this figure for 1991.

Mr. Temple-Morris

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Vietnamese boat people have entered Hong Kong so far this year; and how many during 1990.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

In 1990, a total of 6,599 Vietnamese migrants arrived in Hong Kong. As of 14 June, there have been 10,786 arrivals this year.

Mr. Temple-Morris

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Vietnamese boat people are now in Hong Kong; and where they are being kept.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

On 14 June 1991 there were 59,504 Vietnamese migrants in Hong Kong. Those awaiting screening or screened out as non-refugees are housed in 10 detention centres while those granted refugee status are accommodated in three open centres.

Mr. Temple-Morris

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what approaches he has made to the Government of Vietnam to seek a solution to the problem of the Vietnamese boat people; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

Following United States-United Kingdom-Hong Kong consultations in Washington on 3–4 June, we have sought discussions, as a matter of urgency, with the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on the establishment of an internationally managed centre in the territory provided by Vietnam for those asylum seekers who are determined not to be refugees and have not taken advantage of the existing voluntary return programmes. We await a reply.

Mr. Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what written statements or similar record of Vietnamese boat people's experiences on their journeys are recorded on arrival by UNHCR officals or Hong Kong Government officials.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

The Hong Kong immigration department asks Vietnamese migrants on their arrival in Hong Kong a range of questions including details of their point and date of departures and any en-route stopovers.