§ Mr. David AtkinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the future of Pillar point refugee centre in Hong Kong and its residents. [11824]
§ Mr. HanleyThe Pillar Point refugee centre in Hong Kong is funded and managed by the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. It was opened in 1989 and there are no plans to close it.
Some 620 Vietnamese refugees and 540 non-refugees are accommodated in the centre. UNHCR continue to seek resettlement places for the refugees. The non-refugees' closest links remain with Vietnam and we are seeking to negotiate with the Vietnamese authorities for their repatriation, in accordance with the comprehensive plan of action.