}
CONFIDENTIAL
Appendix 2
Naturalisation on Grounds of Crown Service:
Possible Numbers
We have been asked by Mr. Whitelaw if we could provide an estimate of the number of applications for naturalisation which might be received from local Crown servants.
2.
Civil Service Branch has prepared the attached table. It shows 900 officers in the two categories. Of this total 500 have been lumped together under sensitive posts. This is probably an underestimate as there are 850 local officers in SB and there are, in addition, sensitive posts in Departments such as Immigration, Customs and many others involved in control duties of one sort or another.
3.
The following points make estimating difficult:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
naturalisation procedures take a long time and the process therefore assumes that applications are made in times of normality. In such conditions the tendency could be for people to put off a decision whether to submit an application;
bearing in mind (i) and if the present circumstances of good relations with China continued for a long time this would probably mean that numbers considering applying for UK naturalisation might only be 2 300 a year;
if there was any rapid deterioration in relations or a serious crisis of confidence involving risks to families then there would certainly be a sudden upsurge of interest in naturalisation but by then orderly applications might be difficult. is thought that perhaps between 5- 10,000 persons might seek to apply: this total might include (say) 1,000 unofficials.
It
Being uncertain of the circumstances in which naturalisation might be sought it is difficult to establish criteria. The moral obligation would apply to those whose service to the Crown put them at serious risk. The following categories probably merit consideration:
(a)
(b)
Officers appointed by S for S (SAO, CSP, D3 and above)
Unofficials appointed by S for S or appointed to important duties by the Governor
(i) ExCo, LegCo and UrbCo (ii) Other important Boards and
Committees (say)
Approx. no. as of now
110
45
555
600