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aragraph after complying with the affirmative resolution procedure
of both Houses of Parliament.
DIFFICULTIES WHICH MAY ARISE
this part of
Four main areas of difficulty may arise with respect to
to this
the Draft Bill.
AMENDMENT TO THE BNA 1981
to
Some members may wish to take the opportunity to propose amendments to the British Nationality Act 1981 for purposes quite unrelated
Hong Kong. Ministers will wish to resist these on
on the grounds that they would be inappropriatee in a Hong Kong Bill.
INCLUSION OF NATIONALITY PROVISIONS IN THE BILL
Some members may question why nationality provisions need to be included in the draft Bill, while others may consider the provisions are not detailed enough.
are
enacted
Those who question why they are included at all may argue that these
purely a matter for HMG, that
need they do not
to be
before the agreement is ratified, and that it would be preferable to deal with them separately at a later date. Ministers will wish to
take the line that in HMG's
in HMG's judgment it necessary to set ou t in
the Bill the framework of the legislation on nationality arising
from the
and agreement
the UK Memorandum. To do otherwise would
perpetuate
uncertainty and
is
might lead to doubts as to HMG's
willingness to implement the provisions of the Memorandum.
Those who consider that the provisions are not detailed enough may
argue
that HMG's intentions are not sufficiently plain in the Bill
and that doubts and uncertainty may therefore still remain. They
may wish to know the contents of the Order in Council SO as to satisfy themselves that Hong Kong's interests are properly met. In
particular they may:
(a) criticise the fact
fact that the title of the new form of British
nationality does not appear in the Bill (if this is the case), and
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