CONFIDENTIAL #
For information
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NOTE FOR EXECUTIVE COUNCILO
REVISED UK IMMIGRATION RULES
A
A British Government White Paper containing proposals for revised and consolidated Immigration Rules governing entry to Britain will be published on 14th November 1979. The White Paper will be debated in Parliament before the end of the year. The Immigration Rules, possibly amended if the Government decides that this is desirable in the light of the debate, will then be made.
2
The purposes of the revised Rules and the main changes proposed are summarised at Annex A. Copies of the White Paper itself are available in the Councils Branch. The White Paper is not connected with the British Government's proposals on Nationality Law, which are the subject of separate consideration and in respect of which a bill will be introduced into Parliament at some date in the future.
B
G.S. 166
The extent of travel to Britain by
Hong Kong people
3
In the year ending 30th September 1979, approximately 36,000 British Hong Kong passport holders entered Britain, of whom some 12,000 had obtained entry clearances from Immigration Department (Entry clearances are not mandatory for visitors or students holding British Hong Kong passports). During the same period approximately 8,000 holders of Hong Kong Certificates of Identity entered Britain, all with entry clearances. The total number of travellers were therefore about 44, 000. Statistics of entry clearances issued by Immigration Department are given in Annex B.
The Purpose of the White Paper proposals
and the effect on Hong Kong
4
The purpose of the British Government's proposals is to tighten immigration controls in certain areas and to take the opportunity to review the Immigration Rules as a whole. The great majority of Hong Kong travellers to Britain will be unaffected by the new Rules.
5
There will be no effect on visitors (approximately 36,000 per annum), except that they will now be prohibited from taking employment. (In this respect UK practice will be in line with that in Hong Kong).
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