C
25
AG030 01.44 20404 HKGOVT G KEY+00861100÷HX04 6.1190 HKG IS HX- 20LON HKGOVT G
T 315/LIS 22 ·
20TH JANUARY, 1901.
DIS EXCOMMISSIONER (FOR DAVIES FROM FORD)
DEBATE ONE.
.
NOT SURPRISINGLY, MUCH OF THE STING WENT OUT OF THE DEBATE DURING THE DINNER HOURS. THE CHAMBER WAS PRETTY WELL EMPTY BUT FOR A HANDFUL OF MPS. HONG KONG BARELY CAME UP IN THIS SESSION EXCEPT IN A PERIPHERAL WAY. SEVERAL SPEAKERS ENDORSED THE NEED FOR A GENERAL 02 SPECIFIED CATEGORY OF C3DT AND SIR CHARLES FLETCHER-COOKE MADE THE POINT THAT EACH TERRITORY SHOULD HAVE ITS. ON CITIZENSHIP ON THE GROUNDS THAT EACH TERRITORY WAS SO DIFFERENT THAT THEY SHOULDN'T BE LUMPED TOGETHER.
THIS SECTION OF THE DEBATE MAS REALLY DOMINATED, BY THE IRISH ISSUE (THAT IS, THE VOTING RIGHTS OF THE IRISH IN THE UK) AND THE POSSIBLE EFFECTS OF THE BILL ON RACE RELATIONS IN THE UK. SEVERAL LACOUR MPS OPPOSED THE PROPOSAL TO CHANGE THE CURRENT SITUATION WHICH CONFERS AUTOMATIC CITIZENSHIP 3Y 3IRTH IN THE UK. THERE WAS ALSO SOME CONCERN ON 30TH SIDES ABOUT THE SAFEGUARDS FOR CHILDREN BORN OVERSEAS TO PARENTS WHO ARE NOT 3RITISH CITIZENS BY BIRTH IN THE UK ALTHOUGH NOT RAISED IN A PARTICULAR' HK CONTEXT, THIS WOULD HAVE OBVIOUS INTEREST TO SOME EXPATRIATE ORITONS IN HK. AGAIN, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF CALLS FOR SUFFICIENT TIME FOR THE FULLEST CONSIDERATION OF THE 3ILL, PARTICULARLY IN REGARD TO REPRESENTATIONS FROM 30DIES REPRESENTING THOSE PEOPLE AFFECTED BY IT. MPS ON 30TH SIDES SAID THAT THE BILL WAS SO IMPORTANT THAT THERE SHOULD BE A 31-PARTISAN APPROACH.
MORE FOLLOWS==
2240L HKGOVT G
CORRECTION: THE DATE ON THIS TELEX SHOULD BE 29TH NOT THE 25TH JANUX
23404 HKGOVT G
5
61190 HKGIS HX
1