DSR 11C
current information, about two thirds of them would need
to do so for Hong Kong to maintain its existing level of
surplus revenue, but this would depend largely on what
happens to local costs in Hong Kong over the ten year
period.
4. There are a number of other services performed by the
Hong Kong Government on behalf of HMG. On one of these,
the issue of entry clearances, the Hong Kong Government
estimates that it has been in deficit for many years.
Over half of the entry clearances issued are in the form
of entry certificates for Commonwealth Citizens. Until
we introduced an entry certificate fee this year, the
Hong Kong Government received no revenue at all for this
service. Other services undertaken on our behalf include
those in support of British shipping calling at Hong Kong
and the provision of unofficial trade representatives in
18 cities overseas to cover functions some of which we'
should otherwise have to take on. In return our own
missions overseas perform consular work on behalf of Hong
Kong. The Hong Kong Government could therefore quite
reasonably argue that the surplus revenue which it
receives for passport issues should continue to be
regarded as part of the long established overall
reciprocal arrangements and that they help to finance the
deficit incurred on entry clearance work.
5. A further point is that the UK passport fee charged
under the Consular Fees Order is set at a level intended
to cover the cost of the passport issuing operation in