-3-
registration as British Citizens of British Dependent Territories'
Citizens who are Crown Servants under the Government of a
Dependent Territory and the right of British Dependent Territories'
Citizens to be registered as British Citizens after 5 years lawful
residence in the United Kingdom, rather than having to apply for
naturalisation, as originally proposed. Although it has not been
✩ possible to meet all Hong Kong's wishes, Her Majesty's Government
commitment to Hong Kong remains as strong as ever. The Act in no
way changes this.
میلی
update.
بیر
/Dependent Territories: Death Penalty
9.
Her Majesty's Government's policy on capital punishment leaves
choice of abolition or retention of death penalty to local legis-
latures. Crown's exercise of the Prerogative of Mercy is delegated
to Governors, although this does not preclude appeals to Her Majesty.
The death sentence remains on the statute books of 7 Dependent
Territories.
Bids by Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation and Standard
Chartered Bank for Royal Bank of Scotland
10.
The Monopolies and Mergers Commission is considering its
decision on these bids; it would not therefore be appropriate to
comment.
✔ Hong Kong and the Multi-Fibre Arrangement
11.
We have during consideration of the Multi-Fibre Arrangement
by the European Community's Council of Ministers stressed the need
to take account of Hong Kong's open market system. We hope that
the negotiations in Geneva will result in an agreement which takes
account both of the needs of the developing countries and of those
of our own textile industries.