27.
Passports issued to BD TC s in Hong Kong are currently issued by
the Governor
in the name of Her Majesty. It would be inappropriate
for
passports issued to BN (0) s which will remain valid beyond 30
June 1997 to be issued by the Government. BN (0) passports will
therefore be issued from the start by "Her Britannic Majesty's
Secretary of State", as they
a re at present in the UK and at
consular posts overseas. This requires a change in format.
28.
Initially the passport is likely to be in the same format as
is issued to all
British nationals. But hon Members will be aware
that there is to be a change in
change in the format of British passports as a
consequence of the decision to give a common format to the national
passports of European Community member states and our decision that
the UK passport should be machine-readable.
My Rt hon and learned
Friend, the present Secretary
of State for Trade and Industry gave
details in a Parliamentary answer on 24 July 1984. In due course,
therefore, the BN (0) passport will follow the proposed common
European Community format. It will be burgundy red, soft-covered
and smaller than the present blue document. On the cover will be
the wording "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Norther Ireland",
the Royal Coat of Arms and "Passport"; the wording on the inside
cover will refer to "Her Britannic Majesty's Secretary of State".
29. One issue which has been of particular concern is the right of
abode endorsement to be placed in BN (0) passports. This needs to be
agreed with the Chinese Government because the UK Government cannot
give such a right in the Special Administrative Region after 1 July
1997.
discussed this matter with the Chinese
Liaison Group. The y have agreed in
the
We have therefore
Government
in the Joint
principle that the wording of the endorsement should be as follows:
"The holder of this passport has Hong Kong permanent
identity card No.
(the number will be
entered) which states that the holder has
the right
of abode in Hong Kong.
TU
(11)