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to come to work or settle in this country. This then is the
background to the Government's approach to the issues to be
addressed by the House this evening.
The Government undertook in response to points made on both
sides of the House during the debate on the Hong Kong Bill to put forward its detailed proposals for the nationality Order in good time and in a form which would allow them to be debated and if necessary amended, before the House was invited to give its approval. This we have done. The White Paper containing the Order was published in the United Kingdom and in Hong Kong on 17 October. The people of Hong Kong have had a full opportunity to comment on the Order. Hon Members now have a chance to express their views. The Government will listen carefully to these views. We shall consider particularly whether we should amend any of the provisions in the Order attached to the White Paper. And we shall then lay formally a draft nationality Order before Easter.
The provisions in the Order are of vital interest to the 3%
million British Dependent Territories citizens who are resident in Hong Kong. We had agreed the text of tne White Paper with the Hong Kong Government and Executive Council, and we have been monitoring Hong Kong opinion on the White Paper closely. The Governor of Hong Kong has sent the Government full reports of reaction in Hong Kong to the White Paper.
The White Paper itself was debated in the Hong Kong Legislative
Council on 4 December 1985. During that debate members asked the British Government to do more to explain the arrangements for the new passport to third countries.
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