х

Так

CONFIDENTIAL

18/8

Я.

I.

spoke to Mr. Holmes, APS: hi

الماكل من مدن

वा

Mr Clift, HKGD

Cc:

Private Secretary

PS/Mr Onslow PS/Mr Rifkind Mr Giffard

Mr Donald o/r

Mr Fearn, SAMD Mr Howells, NTD

NATIONALITY ACT 1981

1.

McQuade

Pl. disus with Private Office HKK 349|

: 8 ALIG 1962

८५८

No

25/8 AF2578

12/3

See (94

867

Lord Belstead was grateful for Mr Donald's minute of 11 August covering a copy of Mr Howells' submission of 9 August addressing

the handling of Lord Bruce of Donnington's Bill to amend the

Nationality Act. He finds the prospect of Lord Bruce's Bill being pressed to a Second Reading most disturbing. I have pursued the

question with the Government Whips in the Lords.

2. In the final analysis the Whips cannot prevent Lord Bruce from pressing his Bill to Second Reading. It is likely, although not certain, that he will do this during the spill-over.

If put to a vote it is certain that the Government would be heavily defeated in the Lords. The implications for our relations with

Hong Kong are clearly serious. However no date has yet been offered for Second Reading of Lord Bruce's Bill in the Lords nor will an Order Paper for the spill-over be published until the Prime Minister's visit has ended, so there is a chance that Lord Bruce's amendment will not be the subject of public debate at the time of the Prime Minister's visit.

3. Lord Belstead believes that Lord Boyd-Carpenter's attitude does not help. He wonders whether it would be possible to explain to Lord Boyd-Carpenter the grave Hong Kong implications. He would be happy to do this himself on return from leave but wonders whether the Secretary of State might himself prefer to have a word with Lord Boyd-Carpenter.

16 August 1982

ви кузбек

ие

18/8

Noted

Af 18/2

CONFIDENTIAL

AK C Wood

Акимя

APS/Lord Belstead

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