CONFIDENTIAL
Fall-back Position
9.
The
If the Home Secretary will not accept the term British Subject for all three categories we might suggest as a compromise retaining the term for the first two categories only, ie UK belongers and colonial belongers. Linkage is really between the British
territories; British Overseas Citizens reside elsewhere.
British Overseas Citizen category is really transitional (though it
will be with us for the life-time of those British Overseas
Citizens born before the new Act comes into force). If the Home Secretary still remains unconvinced we could propose that this idea
be tried out in the White Paper.
10. I should add that Mr Cortazzi, who recently discussed our problem with the Deputy Under Secretary, Mr Woodfield, in the Home
Office, agreed this submission in draft.
28 March 1980
Copied to:
PS/LPS (with draft Background Paper)
PS/Mr Blaker
PS/PUS
Sir D Maitland
Mr Murray
Mr Fergusson
Mr Harding
Mr Stratton Miss Brooks
Mr
Bcc: Mr Clift
Mr Jones
CONFIDENTIAL
LC W Figg