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The only other feature of this draft Order in Council which I ought to address is paragraph 6 which provides for ex-BDTCs to become British Overseas citizens as from 1st July 1997 if they would otherwise become stateless, and for this status of British Overseas citizen to be available for two generations thereafter, with a view to reduce statelessness. status of BOC is even more nebulous than that of BN(0), and further removed from identification with a home. It could result in serious anomalies and injustices with regard to non-Chinese British nationals, a theme which other of my Unofficial colleagues will develop.
Sir, I shall end by making a special plea for the ex-servicemen of Hong Kong because I believe none deserve it
more.
They fought in defence of Hong Kong and in other theatres of war for King & Country during the Second World War. Britain and Hong Kong owe them a debt of gratitude which must be honoured. Their number is about 400 and is dwindling. They fought in defence of a system which will run its course in Hong Kong in 12 years. Britain must therefore offer them a home. Nothing less will do. The way is provided by the British Nationality Act of 1981 itself. Under section 4 the Home Secretary has discretion to register a Hong Kong BDTC as a British Citizen and to waive the residential requirements if he has been in Crown service, including military service. I appeal to the British Government to make it known that it will sympathetically consider all such applications made by our ex-servicemen.
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