CONFIDENTIAL
of the 1981 Act under which the grandchildren (but no further generations) of people who are BDTCS in Hong Kong, and who would otherwise be stateless, would be entitled to registration as BOCs, provided the application was made within 12 months of birth.
We agree that the first limb of any Government statement should be that indicated at (a) at the end of your letter. We suggest that the second limb should refer to the second generation only of people who are the descendants of BDTCS in Hong Kong before 1997 and should indicate that they would have an entitlement to registration as BOCS if the application was made within 12 months of the child's birth, and that if such an application were not made, it would still be open in particular cases of hardship for the Home Secretary of the day to use his power under section 27(1) of the Act to register such people as BOCs while they were still minors.
I should be glad to have a word with you if opportunity offers before Thursday's Committee Stage debate.
J
Can')
CONFIDENTIAL
(DAVID WADDINGTON)