CONFITEATIAL
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London SW1A 2AH
277A
From The Minister of State
I can Tunis
NATIONALITY BILL: HONG KONG
/ June 1981
нак
340li
RECEIVED IN REGATRY NO. 51 * - JUN 1981
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
ло
PA
4810
REGISTRY Action Taken
Peter Blaker had a word with you on 20 May about two ways which the residual fears of the Hong Kong Unofficial Members of the Executive and Legislative Councils (UMELCO) could be put at rest without any further amendment to the Bill. These were that in their passports their national status should be described as 'British or UK national' as well as Citizen of the British Dependent Territories (CBDTs) and that the Home Secretary should reiterate in Parliament Richard Luce's statement in Committee on 28 April that CBDTs would remain British Nationals (in the limited sense explained by Richard Luce at the time, including no right of entry or abode in the UK). I understand that you saw difficulty about the first point but agreed to consider the second one.
I am writing now to keep you informed of recent developments. Following further advice from the FCO and the provision of extensive briefing material, the Governor has explained robustly to UMELCO why HMG cannot accept their suggestions that British Nationality be defined in the Bill to include inter alia CBDTs and that their nationality status in their passports be described as British or UK National. I believe that UMELCO have accepted,
if reluctantly, these explanations pending the outcome of the Third Reading. This does, however, make it of the utmost importance to have a Ministerial statement in Parliament some time during this week's proceedings if the Governor is to put the lid on his latest useful discussions with UMELCO and in particular to persuade them not to send any further delegation to London.
I very much hope therefore that it will be possible for Home Office Ministers to reiterate next week in Parliament Richard Luce's statement in Committee on 28 April. I am sure you will agree in any case it would be desirable to take the opportunity of the debate to underline the general assurances of HMG's commitment to Hong Kong which Willie Whitelaw so usefully gave during the Second Reading on 28 January.
CONFIDENTIAL
/Peter Carrington