CONFIDENTIAL
RECORD OF A MEETING BETWEEN THE HOME SECRETARY ON 9 JUNE 1980
NEW NATIONALITY LAW
Present
The Lord Privy Seal
Mr Richard Luce MP
Mr Adams
Mr Clift
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RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51
16 JUN 1980
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
REGISTRY
Action Taken
LORD PRIVY SEAL AND THE,
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176.6
AW 16/1
The Home Secretary
Mr Timothy Raison MP
Mr Philip Woodfield
Mr Chilcot
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Relevant employment for Businessmen
1. The Home Secretary opened by saying that he accepted the FCO's proposal for special arrangements for businessmen, given the political support which the business community's cause was likely to muster. The Home Office still had some misgivings about the modalities, eg whether or not Crown Servants and businessmen should have the same treatment, but they accepted the FCO's proposal in principle.
Citizenship for the Dependent Territories
2. The Home Secretary recalled that the Home Office had agreed to have three rather than two separate citizenships.
This was, however, the limit of the concessions they were prepared to make and they were not prepared to concede the use of the prefix "British Subject" for citizens from Dependent Territories. whole purpose of the new legislation was to distance certain categories of people from the United Kingdom. To include the extra prefix would be inconsistent with this and he thought it reasonable to leave it out.
The
3. The Lord Privy Seal said that he understood the objections but he had very considerable doubts about the political wisdome of omitting "British Subject". The Hong Kong lobby was strong in parliament. Feeling in the territory was growing. A New Defence Costs Agreement was shortly to be negotiated, at considerable cost to Hong Kong. Uneasiness in Hong Kong was heightened as the end of the New Territories Lease in 1997 approached; this increased doubts about Britain's commitment to the territory. In view of this, he feared that if "British Subject" were omitted in the White Paper, it might be found politically necessary to put it back later. The Home Secretary, supported by Mr Raison and Mr Woodfield, reiterated their strong objection to the proposal, emphasising that they had legal advice that to include "British Subject" could be regarded as blurring the distinction between the categories and might possibly lead to legal action against the Government.
CONFIDENTIAL
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