DIS EXCOMMISSIONER
SPEECH SIX
THERE IS CONTINUING CONCERN IN HONG KONG ABOUT THE PROVISION IN THE BILL COVERING THE NATIONALITY OF CHILDREN OF BRITISH BUSINESSMEN BORN IN HONG KONG. THE BILL PROPOSES THAT ONLY IF ONE PARENT IS A BRITISH CITIZEN BY BIRTH IN THE UK OR IS A CROWN SERVANT OR IS AN EMPLOYEE OF A BRITISH FIRM WITH HEADQUARTERS IN ENGLAND, IS CITIZENSHIP GRANTED AUTOMATICALLY TO CHILDREN 30RN ABROAD. THERE IS PROVISION FOR THE HOME SECRETARY TO MAKE EXCEPTIONS AND GRANT BRITISH CITIZENSHIP IN OTHER CASES. BUT MANY BRITISH BUSINESSMEN WHOSE FAMILIES HAVE BEEN ABROAD. FOR MORE THAN ONE GENERATION WERE NOT THEMSELVES BORN IN BRITAIN. IT DOES SEEM ANACHRONISTIC TO ENCOURAGE OUR BISINESSMEN TO GO OVERSEAS TO ESTABLISH COMPANIES WHICH INCREASE BRITAIN'S OVERSEAS TRADE AND EARN FOREIGN EXCHANGE AND THEN 3Y INTRODUCING THIS CLAUSE IN THE BILL, TO RAISE A QUESTION MARK OVER THE CITIZENSHIP OF THEIR CHILDREN. I THINK IT WILL BE POSSIBLE TO OVERCOME THIS PROBLEM BY ALLOWING IN SUCH CASES FOR THE CHILDREN TO BE REGISTERED AS BRITISH CITIZENS IN THE SAME WAY AS THE CHILDREN OF DIPLOMATS AND SERVICEMEN LIVING ADROAD ARE REGISTE- RED. UNLESS SOMETHING IS DONE TO CHANGE THIS CLAUSE BRITISH PEOPLE NOT INCLUDED IN THE DESIGNATED GROUPS WILL HAVE TO RETURN TO THE UK FOR THE BIRTH OF CHILDREN OR ESTABLISH RESIDENCE BY RETURNING FOR A THREE YEAR PERIOD. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT IT WAS THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO IMPOSE SUCH IRKSOME CONDITIONS ON BRITISH CITIZENS WORKING ABROAD AND I STRONGLY URGE THAT THIS CLAUSE MIXXE-XXXXX BE RE-EXAMINED.
HOWEVER, WOULD NOT WISH THESE COMPARATIVELY NARROW BUT IMPORTANT PROBLEMS OF THE EXPATRIATE LIVING ABROAD TO DISTRACT FROM MY MAIN CONCERN OF THIS BILL, WHICH IS THE REACTION TO IT BY THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG
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