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THAT THERE MIGHT BE ABOUT THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE MEMORANDUM.
SILENCE ON THIS POINT WOULD PERPETUATE UNCERTAINTY AND MIGHT EVEN
CAST DOUBT ON HMG'S WILLINGNESS TO IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS IN
THE MEMORANDUM.
WHY IS THE ORDER IN COUNCIL NECESSARY?
4.
HMG ARE COMMITTED TO RATIFYING THE AGREEMENT BEFORE 30 JUNE
1985. THE BILL MUST BE ENACTED BY PARLIAMENT BEFORE THIS. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE IN THIS SHORT TIME 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.
WHAT EFFECT WILL THE BILL HAVE ON THE PRESENT POSITION OF HONG
KONG BDTCS?
5. NONE. THE BILL MERELY PROVIDES AN ENABLING POWER FOR HMG TO
INTRODUCE A SUBSEQUENT ORDER IN COUNCIL. SUBJECT TO
PARLIAMENTARY APPROVAL THIS ORDER WILL GIVE EFFECT TO THE
PROVISIONS OF THE UK MEMORANDUM. BUT EVEN THEN HONG KONG BDTCS
WILL RETAIN THE STATUS OF BDTC, WHICH WILL NOT BE AFFECTED IN ANY
WAY, UNTIL 1 JULY 1997. THEY WILL ALSO BE ELIGIBLE TO RETAIN
ANOTHER FORM OF BRITISH NATIONALITY FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES.
WHAT WILL BE INVOLVED WHEN AN ORDER-IN-COUNCIL RELATING TO
NATIONALITY IS BROUGHT FORWARD FOR CONSIDERATION BY PARLIAMENT?
6. A DRAFT ORDER-IN-COUNCIL IS PUBLISHED IN ADVANCE OF ITS
BEING CONSIDERED BY PARLIAMENT. AS ORDERS-IN-COUNCIL RELATING TO
NATIONALITY WILL BE SUBJECT TO AFFIRMATIVE RESOLUTION PROCEDURES
THEY WILL BE THE SUBJECT OF A DEBATE, EITHER BY THE HOUSE OF
COMMONS AS A WHOLE OR BY A COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE. THAT DEBATE
IS OF COURSE OPEN TO THE PRESS AND THE PUBLIC, AND A RECORD OF
THE DEBATE IS PUBLISHED. THE ORDER IS THEN APPROVED BY A VOTE OF
THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. PROCEDURES ARE BASICALLY THE SAME FOR THE
SUBSEQUENT CONSIDERATION BY THE HOUSE OF LORDS.
ENDS.
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