CONFIDENTIAL
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however, practical difficulties in the resettlement programme
as regards housing and employment in the United Kingdom. The
question of a further quota will soon have to be considered, but
will meet with much resistance, especially from the Home Office
and No 10.
NATIONALITY BILL
4. The Hong Kong Government, and particularly the Unofficial
Members of the Executive and Legislative Councils, have been
concerned, since the publication of the original Green Paper,
about the effect of the proposed Nationality Bill on Hong Kong.
The Bill has been interpreted in Hong Kong as an attempt to distance
the United Kingdom from Hong Kong and evade the United Kingdom's
responsibility for its population.
5.
Amendments have been tabled that will permit the registration
of Citizens of British Dependent Territories (CBDTs) who have
had 5 years' legal residence in the United Kingdom as British
Citizens, and will permit the Home Secretary to register as a
British Citizen a person a who has been in Crown Service under the
Government of a Dependent Territory or who has been appointed by
or on behalf of the Crown to certain forms of service in a dependency.
These amendments go some way to allaying Hong Kong's fears.
Nomenclature, however, remains a problem. Unofficials have put a
case for using the titles 'British Subject: CBDT (Hong Kong)' or
'British National (Hong Kong Citizen)'. Neither is possible as
they offend against the spirit of the Bill. The Secretary of
State discussed this with Unofficials during his visit.
CONFIDENTIAL
/THE MACLENNAN AFFAIR