5. THE SPOKESMAN CONTINUED: "THE BILL ALSO ENABLES ORDERS IN COUNCIL TO MODIFY UNITED KINGDOM ENACTMENTS IN PREPARATION FOR OR CONSEQUENT UPON TERMINATION OF UNITED KINGDOM SOVEREIGNTY AND JURISDICTION. THIS WILL ENABLE THE UNITED KINGDOM GOVERNMENT TO MAKE TECHNICAL MODIFICATIONS TO UK LEGISLATION APPLICABLE TO HONG KONG. IT WILL ALSO, FOR EXAMPLE, EMPOWER THE HONG KONG LEGISLATURE TO MAKE LAWS HAVING EXTRA TERRITORIAL OPERATION**,
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6. THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THE BILL ALSO ACCORDS DIPLOMATIC PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES TO CHINESE MEMBERS OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP WHEN THEY ATTEND MEETINGS IN LONDON. THIS IS REQUIRED IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT PARAGRAPH 10 TO ANNEX 11 OF THE JOINT DECLARATION''
7. IT IS THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION IN DUE COURSE TO ENACT SIMILAR PROVISIONS FOR CHINESE MEMBERS OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP WHEN THEY ATTEND MEETINGS IN HONG KONG.''
8. ASKED WHY NATIONALITY PROVISIONS HAD BEEN INCLUDED IN THE BILL THE SPOKESMAN SAID, IT IS IMPORTANT TO SET OUT IN THE BILL THE FRAMEWORK OF THE LEGISLATION NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT THE NATIONALITY PROVISIONS IN THE UK MEMORANDUM ASSOCIATED WITH THE AGREEMENT. ALTHOUGH THE MEMORANDUM IS TECHNICALLY NOT PART OF THE AGREEMENT, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT CONSIDER IT TO REPRESENT AN UNDERTAKING THAT THEY ARE COMMITTED TO CARRYING OUT. BOTH PARLIAMENT AND THE HONG KONG PEOPLE WOULD EXPECT TO BE TOLD, IN THE CONTEXT OF THE HONG KONG BILL, HOW THIS WILL BE DONE. SUCH AN EXPLANATION WOULD HELP MAKE CLEAR THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE UK MEMORANDUM.
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9. REFERRING TO THE PROVISION FOR AN ORDER IN COUNCIL ON NATIONALITY, THE SPOKESMAN SAID: ''NO DATE HAS YET BEEN FIXED FOR THE MAKING OF THE ORDER IN COUNCIL. IT WILL CONTAIN A NUMBER OF DETAILED PROVISIONS THAT WILL HAVE TO BE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED'' IT IS NOT POSSIBLE IN THE TIME AVAILABLE BEFORE RATIFICATION TO CONSIDER AND PUT FORWARD FOR DEBATE ALL THE DETAILED AMENDMENTS TO NATIONALITY LEGISLATION THAT WILL BE REQUIRED. FOR THIS REASON THE BILL ONLY CONTAINS AN ENABLING POWER FOR A SUBSEQUENT ORDER OR ORDERS IN COUNCIL IN WHICH THESE AMENDMENTS WILL BE MADE.''
10. A DRAFT ORDER IN COUNCIL WILL BE PUBLISHED IN ADVANCE OF ITS BEING CONSIDERED BY PARLIAMENT. ORDERS IN COUNCIL RELATING TO NATIONALITY WILL BE SUBJECT TO AFFIRMATIVE RESOLUTION PROCEDURES AND THEY WILL THEREFORE BE THE SUBJECT OF A DEBATE, EITHER BY THE HOUSE OF COMMONS AS A WHOLE OR BY A COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE. THAT DEBATE WILL OF COURSE BE OPEN TO THE PRESS AND THE PUBLIC, AND A RECORD OF THE DEBATE WILL BE PUBLISHED. THE ORDER WOULD THEN BE SUBMITTED FOR APPROVAL BY A VOTE OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. PROCEDURES WILL BE BASICALLY THE SAME FOR THE SUBSEQUENT CONSIDERATION BY THE HOUSE OF LORDS'
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