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CONFIDENTIAL
機密
XCC(76)82
(a) the verification of the place and date of birth of an
applicant for identity card (Registration of Persons function) and the determination of a subsequent claim for British nationality by birth by the same person (Immigration function). The exercise of both functions by the same department would avoid the anomaly of different conclusions being reached by different departments on the same person, and would result in some saving of time and effort. Members of the public would also benefit by not having to produce the same document to two departments;
(b) the issue of an identity card and the issue of Hong Kong
travel documents. Re-entry permits, for example, are issued over the counter on production of an identity card and payment of the necessary fees. There would be in- creased efficiency if the two functions were to be made the responsibility of one department;
(c) the problems of the changes in the names by which some
residents and immigrants are known. The Working Party has made recommendations to minimise these difficulties but the discrepancies would be less likely to occur and would be more conveniently resolved if one organisation were responsible for registration and immigration work.
Immigration and Registration of Persons Records
The Immigration Department is the major user of Registration of Persons records and in 1975-76 accounted for 9, 757 (37%) out of a total of 25, 707 enquiries made for such records. Amalgamation of the two de- partments would result in these record checks being made more econo- mically than at present with no reduction in opportunity for other user departments, mainly Police, Registrar General and ICAC, to have access to them.
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The Immigration Department has records on about two-thirds of the population. Amalgamation of the two departments would make a major contribution to keeping the Registration of Persons records up to date, a problem which detracts from the accuracy of the existing records.
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A single organisation responsible for Registration of Persons and immigration work would be in a position to produce more comprehensive statistics on illegal immigrants coming forward for registration. This would improve the quality of the intelligence available to those engaged in combatting illegal immigration.
CONFIDENTIAL
機密