TG1 AJ A
CONFIDEN TIAL
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Private Secretary
Sourvery I
State
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HKD
157
FROM: A C GALSWORTHY,
DATE: 17 January 1986
Za: su ticks
cc: Dr Wilson
PS/Lady Young
1.
You asked for a note on the present state of play on
the Hong Kong Order in Council.
2.
The House of Commons
every speaker
debate
wen t much as expected.
on both sides
pressed
the
Virtually
Government to make some concessions to the proposals made
in Miss Dunn's letter. The Labour Party made it clear that
they would divide the House on the issue, though this
seemed to have as much to do with their general opposition
to the Nationality Act as to their specific opposition to
this Order. Almost all
the speakers asked for a concession
on the passport endorsement issue. However three or four
speakers on the Government side suggested that it would not
be wise to concede British citizenship to the non-Chinese
minority communities. The re was much sympathy with the
ex-servicemen, but some recognition of the difficulties of
granting them British citizenship.
A B 3.
The reaction in Hong Kong has been sharp. Although
Mr Waddington did
the position fairly open,
endorsement issue, his signals
leave
especially on the passport
do not seem to have been well understood in Hong Kong.
Lydia Dunn has help fully done her best to explain that HMG
have left the door
we need to be
open.
The
Governor has
commented
that
clearer about our position in the statement
to be made in the Lords debate on Monday.
We are trying to
en sure through Home Office officials that Lord Glenarthur's
statement
is
indeed reasonably open,
endorsement question.
at
least on the
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CONFIDEN TIAL
22 JAN 1986
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