(145181) Dd. 737490 750M 1/71 Hw.
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
Registry
No.
HKK 18/10
DRAFT
LETTER
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
Top Secret.
Secret.
Confidential.
Restricted.
Unclassified.
PRIVACY MARKING
..In Confidence
To:-
Richard C Mitchell Esq MP
House of Commons
Type 1 +
From
Mr Royle
Telephone No. & Ext.
Department
I am sorry I have not been in a position
before this to reply to your letter of 23 August
about the Hong Kong Immigration Bill.
In 1969 the Hong Kong Government enacted legislatio
which extended to Commonwealth citizens the controls
which it operated, through a system of visas and
re-entry permits, over the entry of aliens into the
Colony. Controls of this nature over the entry of
Commonwealth citizens had already been imposed by
most countries, both inside and outside the Common-
wealth, and the Hong Kong Government considered
the
at e time that it was necessary in the Colony's
own interests that they should take similar action.
The Immigration Bill to which Mr D Mitchell
refers in his letter does not seek to impose any
additional restrictions on the freedom of entry
into Hong Kong of citizens of the United Kingdom
and Colonies. Visas are not necessary in the case
of citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies who
hold United Kingdom passports issued in the United
Kingdom unless they are issued on behalf of another
Government. No change in these requirements is
contemplated in consequence of the enactment of the
Bill.
/However