NATIONALITY
CONFIDENTIAL
STATELESSNESS
NER PALE
A number of Noble Lords have referred to the problem of
statelessness.
As I made clear in my speech at the beginning of the
debate the Government have made their intention clear that
no former Hong Kong BDTC, nor any child born on or after 1
July 1997 to such a person should be made stateless as a
result of the arrangements envisaged in the Bill.
Bishop &
Birmingham Ceader
I made it clear that the proposal that children born after
30 June 1997 to non-Chinese former BDTCs should acquire
BOC status automatically at birth if they would otherwise
be stateless is intended to apply only to the first
post-1997 generation. I appreciate that there may be concern about potential statelessness arising among
cern subsequent generations. It would not be appropriate as
general principle to grant British nationality
indefinitely and without restrictions to the descendants
of British nationals. However we are looking at the
question of potential statelessness amongst further
generations as a matter of urgency.
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CONFIDENTIAL