HONG KONG BILL
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
CONFIDENTIAL
B
The Bill provides for the termination of British sovereignty
over the ceded parts of Hong Kong and the termination of
British jurisdiction over the whole territory. It also provides
for other matters consequential on, or connected with, the
change of sovereignty and jurisdiction and the implementation
of the Joint Declaration of the Government of the United Kingdom
and the Government of the People's Republic of China on the question of Hong Kong, signed in Peking on 19 December 1984.
Clause 1 provides for the termination of sovereignty and
jurisdiction as from 1 July 1997. This section is designed
to come into force at the same time as the Joint Declaration,
on a date before 30 June 1985 which has yet to be agreed with
the Government of the People's Republic of China.
Clause 2 provides for the schedule to the Bill to deal with
matters consequential on or connected with the Joint Declaration or
the termination of sovereignty and jurisdiction.
SCHEDULE:
Paragraph 1 provides the necessary definitions for the
Schedule.
Paragraph 2 enables Orders in Council to be made to implement
the Joint Declaration and the related exchange of memoranda, whereby certain persons will lose their status as British Dependent Territories citizens, and will become entitled to
acquire a new form of British nationality. There is also a power to make provision to prevent persons becoming stateless. Orders under this section are expressed to be subject to the
affirmative resolution procedure.
CONFIDENTIAL
/Paragraph 3