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Crown Service was indivisible.
There is no need to reply to
this point at this stage, though it may be necessary to do so
in the substantive reply to the petition.
6. It may nevertheless be helpful to explain the position.
During a visit to Hong Kong, Lord Shepherd met members of the
Senior Non-Expatriate Officers' Association (SNEOA).. He did
say that Crown Service was indivisible (ie between expatriate
and local members). However, although he was speaking during
the Communist disturbances and in relation to a possible collapse
of Hong Kong, he was not dealing with naturalisation or entry
to the United Kingdom. He was answering a question about pensions.
(See attached extract from minutes of the SNEOA's own discussion
of the conversation).
7.
Lord Shepherd was not briefed in advance on this topic.
He spoke off the cuff and made no reference to the discussion in
his report on the visit.
Nonetheless, the implications of what
he said cannot be totally ignored in the context of this petition.
He did not say that a haven would be provided for all Crown
Servants but he did suggest equality of treatment for locals and
expatriates in the present context this could be argued to apply
by extension to the right to come to the United Kingdom.
- 4 February 1981
cc PS/Mr Luce
Sir E Youde
Mr Adams
Mr Jones, NTD
Blin
R D Clift
Hong Kong and General Department
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