FRICKII % CYPHER/CAT A
FM FCO 011925Z
CONFIDENTIAL
GVM244/3
7/6
TO PRIORITY CANBERRA TEL
OP 6
T
now see (64
282 OF 1 JUNE 1978
AND TO ROUTINE WELLINGTON OTTAWA NEW DELHI KINGSTON
1. A DRAFT HOME OFFICE NOTE WHICH THEY PROPOSE TO PUT TO THEIR MINISTERS ABOUT RECOMMENDATION 14 OF THE SCORRI REPORT (PARAGRAPHS 124-129) IS BEING SENT TO YOU BY FIRST AVAILABLE CONFIDENTIAL BAG. COMMENTS ARE REQUIRED BY 9 JUNE AND SINCE SOME RECIPIENTS WILL NOT RECEIVE THE DRAFT NOTE UNTIL NEXT WEEK, THE FOLLOWING IS A BRIEF RESUME OF IT.
BEGINS. THE SELECT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED THAT THE UK BORN GRANDPARENT CONNECTION WAS TOO REMOTE TO JUSTIFY SPECIAL TREATMENT RELATING
TO SETTLEMENT. THE CONNECTION COVERS:
A. THOSE CUKCS WHO DERIVE THEIR PATRIALITY FROM A UK BORN
GRANDPARENT, AND
B. THOSE COMMONWEALTH CITIZENS BENEFITTING FROM PARAGRAPHS 27 AND 48 OF THE RULES (HC.79) BECAUSE THEY HAVE A UK BORN GRANDPARENT. SUCH PEOPLE ARE NORMALLY GIVEN INDEFINITE LEAVE TO ENTER THE UK.
THE POSITION OF THE PATRIAL GROUP IS LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED BY NEW NATIONALITY LAW PROPOSALS AND THE LIKELIEST SUBMISSION TO MINISTERS IS THAT ANY DECISION TO ALTER THE PATRIALITY PROVISIONS SHOULD BE DEFERRED UNTIL A NEW WHITE PAPER ON NATIONALITY ACT IS READY, THE PROVISIONS OF PARAGRAPHS 27 AND 48 OF THE RULES WERE INTRODUCED IN 1972 FOLLOWING PARLIAMENTARY PRESSURE, BECAUSE OF THE TIES BETWEEN BRITAIN AND THE OLD COMMONWEALTH.
THE CASE FOR RETAINING RULE (B) STILL RESTS UPON COMMONWEALTH TIES, ON THE OTHER HAND THE UNITED KINGDOM HAS NOW JOINED THE EEC, IS SUBJECT TO THE FREE MOVEMENT OF LABOUR AND SERVICES UNDER THE TREATY OF ROME AND UNEMPLOYMENT IS HIGH. FOR THE NEXT DECADE THE RULE WILL OPERATE SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE ADVANTAGE OF THE OLD COMMONWEALTH, BUT IN TIME AN INCREASING NUMBER OF CITIZENS OF THE NEW COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES WILL PROBABLY BECOME ELIGIBLE. WITHDRAWAL OF THE CONCESSION NOW RATHER THAN LATER WOULD BE LESS OPEN TO CRII~ ICISM OF DISCRIMINATION.
MEIDEN İLLAL ENITIAL
| THERE.