CONFIDENTIAL
HITK 340/1
GR 300
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 221048Z NOV 82
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1359 OF 22 NOVEMBER
MIPT: NOMENCLATURE IN PASSPORTS
228
ho
125/11 AP261
THE FOLLOWING IS THE DRAFT OF THE STATEMENT TO BE MADE IN
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON 24TH NOVEMBER AT 2.33 P.M. LOCAL TIME BY
THE CHIEF SECRETARY.
229
SIR,
I RISE TO MAKE A STATEMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH STANDING ORDER
20 ON THE SUBJECT OF THE NATIONALITY AND CITIZENSHIP DESCRIPTIONS
IN BRITISH PASSPORTS.
2. MEMBERS WILL RECALL THAT MR SWAINE RAISED THIS ISSUE IN THE
RECENT DEBATE ON YOUR ANNUAL ADDRESS TO THIS COUNCIL. IN
RESPONDING ON 10 NOVEMBER, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAID THAT GOVERNMENT
WAS HOPEFUL THAT, BEFORE TOO LONG, A SATISFACTORY RESOLUTION OF
THE MATTER WOULD BE ACHIEVED.
3. I AM VERY PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO REPORT THAT THIS HAS NOW
HAPPENDED. OPEN SQUARE BRACKETS THE PRIME MINISTER HAS CLOSE
SQUARE BRACKETS OPEN SQUARE BRACKETS H.M.G. HAVE CLOSE SQUARE
BRACKETS AGREED THAT, IN FUTURE, OPPOSITE THE WORD **NATIONALITY:
ON THE FIRST PAGE OF ALL BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES PASSPORTS
WILL APPEAR THE WORD BRITISH". THIS WILL CONFIRM BEYOND DOUBT
THAT ALL HOLDERS OF THESE PASSPORTS ARE BRITISH NATIONALS AND
ENTITLED TO THE RIGHTS OF PROTECTION.
4. IMMEDIATELY UNDER THE NATIONALITY DESCRIPTION THERE WILL BE
A STATEMENT OF THE HOLDER'S CITIZENSHIP. IN THE CASE OF HONG KONG,
AFTER THE BRITISH NATIONALITY ACT COMES INTO FORCE ON 1 JANUARY
1983, THIS WILL BE BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZEN, HONG
KONG''.
5. THESE CHANGES DO NOT, OF COURSE, ALTER OR AFFECT THE EXISTING LAW SO FAR AS RIGHTS OF ENTRY TO, LET ALONE OF ABODE IN, THE
UNITED KINGDOM OR ELSEWHERE ARE CONCERNED TO WHICH REFERENCE IS
MADE ELSEWHERE IN THE PASSPORT. THEY SIMPLY DESCRIBE ACCURATELY
THE NATIONALITY AND THE CITIZENSHIP OF A PASSPORT HOLDER.
6. THIS MATTER IS ONE, SIR, ABOUT WHICH I KNOW MEMBERS HAVE FELT STRONGLY, AND THE DECISION I HAVE JUST DESCRIBED IS ONE WHICH I AM SURE WILL BE WARMLY WELCOMED NOT ONLY IN THIS COUNCIL, BUT
ALSO IN THE COMMUNITY GENERALLY''.
See (228
YOUDE
LIMITED
HK+GD
NTD
FED
LEGAL ADVISERS
PS
PS/ LORD BELSTEAD PS/ MR RIFKIND
PS/PUS MR GIFFARD
MR DONALD
LORD NG- LENNOX
CONFIDENTIAL