1
CONFIDENTIAL &
MEMO
о
To Administrative Secretary, UMELCO
From Secretary for Security
Ref. (67) in SCR 39/2091/72 II
Tel. No.
Date
G.F. 73C
95699
24th September 1977
Your Ref. (23) in UT 5166.
dated
1st September 1977
U.K. Green Paper on Nationality Law
Having examined again the queries posed by UMELCO members in relation to the UK Green Paper on Nationality Law and Lord Goronwy-Roberts' letters to Sir Y. K. KAN and Dr. S. Y. CHUNG of 4th August 1977, I suspect the answers given in my (57) in this same series of 22nd August 1977 may not be what UMELCO Members are looking for and really want to know.
2.
3.
To answer the two questions in your last memorandum first:-
a)
b)
None of the 2.6 million Hong Kong British (CUKCs) estimated in the mid-1976 by-census fall per se within the categories listed in my earlier memorandum. They are Hong Kong British and as such have acquired their CUKC status by virtue of their connection with Hong Kong, not UK. Some of them may however, have acquired UK patrial (right of abode) status under Section 2 of the Immigration Act 1971 (a copy of which is attached) by adoption (Section 2(1)(b)), by residence (Section 3(1)(c)), or by marriage (Section 2(2)), and as such they have a right of abode in the UK. We do not know exactly how many there are, but the number is unlikely to exceed a few thousand.
I am not sure what kind of British passports you have in mind, but if you mean Hong Kong British passports then all the 2.6 million mentioned hold or are eligible to hold such passports. If, however, you are referring, to UK British passports, it is estimated that there are about 30, 000 UK belongers in Hong Kong who hold or are eligible to hold UK British passports. In addition, the "few thousand" Hong Kong British mentioned under (a) would also hold or are eligible to hold UK British passports.
I would like now to turn back to the points raised on Si. Y. K. KAN's behalf in your (17) in UT 5166 dated 18th August 1977. I think Lord Goronwy-Roberts' statement quoted in your paragraph 2 can be taken to refer to the provisions in paragraph 29 of the Green Paper. Paragraph 29 refers to persons who, while they have a right of entry to UK now, would not in future qualify for British citizenship. It is envisaged both in paragraph 29 of the Green Paper and in Lord Goronwy-Roberts' statement that they will not have this right of entry withdrawn from them and that special provisions would be made to enable them to retain their right of entry to UK for their lifetimes. It is not known exactly how many present
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CONFIDENTIAL #3