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United Kingdom;
(b) citizenship of the British
Dependent Territories, to
be held by persons with the
right of entry to, and abode
in, one or more of the
British dependent territories;
and
(c) British Overseas citizenship,
to be held by existing citizens
of the United Kingdom and
Colonies who will not fall
within either of the previous
categories.
This new scheme of citizenship is designed
to relate citizenship clearly with the right of abode
and I must stress that the three categories of citizenship
are parallel to each other. There is no question of citizenship of the British Dependent Territories being
a "second class" citizenship.
In the course of considering proposals for a
new nationality law, Her Majesty's Government has taken
full account of the interests and concerns of Hong Kong,
as reflected by Hong Kong Government officials, Unofficial
Members of the Executive and Legislative Councils and
various other interested parties. Where the provisions
of the British Nationality Bill, as originally drafted,
were shown to have unintended adverse effects on the
position of citizens of the British dependent territories,