HC Deb 20 December 1994 vol 251 c1162W
Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he proposes to take in respect of those boat people formally detained in Hong Kong whom the Vietnamese refuse to accept as Vietnamese, the Chinese as Chinese and the Hong Kong authorities have had to release as unlawfully detained; what steps he intends to take so that they can settle somewhere; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Goodlad

We are continuing our discussions with the Vietnamese and Chinese Governments. Our firm intention is that the problem of Vietnamese migrants and ex-China Vietnamese illegal immigrants—ECVIIs—in Hong Kong will be resolved well before China takes over in 1997. Solid progress has been made; 45,000 Vietnamese migrants have been repatriated since 1989 and 2,000 ECVIIs have been returned to China since September last year.