There are, however, provisions in the Bill which would enable such children to be registered as CBDTs once either parent becomes a CBDT (e.g. by naturalisation) or achieves resident status, A Government amendment moved by Mr Raison to the Bill would, in addition, enable such children to register upon attaining the age of ten if they had spent the major portion of their first ten years in Hong Kong. It is estimated that for the next few years the number of children likely to be involved would be in the order of 8,000 a year assuming that recent immigrants inter-marry. (If a recent immigrant marries someone who is a CBDT or settled", their children will automatically be CBDTs by birth). It would be preferable to reduce this period to five years, but it is for consideration whether, in all the policital circumstances, this ought to be proposed or not.
Transmission of Citizenship
23
The provisions in the Bill regarding transmission of citizenship to children born abroad are very complicated. In general, transmission will be limited to the first generation born abroad although, on the other hand, citizenship may in future be transmitted in the female line as well as the male line.
24
If the Bill is passed as it stands, the position of children born in Hong Kong to UK based expatriates working here will be seriously affected, although exceptions have been provided for in the Bill to cover the position of the children born to British citizens employed by the Hong Kong Government or in UK based employment. However, a Government amendment has been moved by Mr Raison which, if passed, will enable British citizens by naturalisation or by registration to transmit their citizenship to their children born abroad and would, as a result, significantly reduce the extent of the erosion of the present position. In view of this, and of the fact that some employers in the private sector are making separate representations through their own channels, it is considered that it would be unnecessary for the Hong Kong Government to seek any further amendment to the Bill,
Possible Tactics
25
So far Hong Kong's views on the Bill have been advanced in the following ways:-
(a)
by the Governor to the FCO at the official level for discussion with the Home Office with a view ultimately to submission to Ministers;
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