asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many illegal immigrants entered Hong Kong in each of the past six months; and if he will give comparable figures for the previous year.

It is not possible to give exact figures. The most reliable indicators are the numbers arrested at the Hong Kong-China border while trying to enter Hong Kong illegally, and the numbers arrested after entry, having evaded the security forces at the border. The figures for the past six months and the comparable figures for the same period last year are:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Hong Kong Government intend to issue a new identity card; and if he will make a statement.

The Hong Kong Government intend to issue two new types of identity cards with effect from 1 July 1987. These are "Permanent Hong Kong Identity Cards", which state that a holder has right of abode in Hong Kong, and "Hong Kong Identity Cards", for those who do not have right of abode.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to grant an amnesty to illegal immigrants now resident in Hong Kong.

No. The Hong Kong Government have made it clear that all illegal immigrants arrested either on or after entry into Hong Kong from China will be repatriated.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the number of persons who have emigrated from Hong Kong in each of the past six years to the latest available date.

The number of Hong Kong residents (Hong Kong British passport holders and Hong Kong Certificate of Identity holders) who have emigrated from Hong Kong in each of the past six years and in the first half of this year are:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is satisfied with the current border security between Hong Kong and China; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. I believe that deployment of the British garrison and the Royal Hong Kong police force at the Hong Kong-China border is adequate to control the influx of would-be illegal immigrants, an increasing proportion of whom are now being arrested at the border rather than in the urban area of Hong Kong.On 13 November the Hong Kong Government held useful talks in Hong Kong, covering this and other border liaison matters, with the relevant Guangdong provincial authorities of the People's Republic of China.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the number of illegal immigrants from China in Hong Kong in each of the past six years to the latest available date.

Prior to the ending of the "Touch base" policy on 24 October 1980, illegal immigrants from China who had managed to evade capture at the border and to reach the urban area were allowed to remain in Hong Kong. Those whose stay was regularised in this manner totalled 102,826 in 1979 and 61,094 in 1980 (up to 24 October). Since then, all illegal immigrants, both those arrested on entry and those who have evaded the security forces at the border but have been subsequently arrested, have been repatriated to China. The arrest and repatriation figures for the period after the ending of the "Touch base" policy are: