Government".
However no one can know what the future will
of HMG is not well founded, there
bring; and if the belief
would appear to be no specific contingency plans.
10.4
which
Baroness Young further argued that the grant of
right of abode in the United Kingdom to Hong Kong Indians,
as one group of BDTCS, would be to discriminate against
others i.e. the Chinese. However Chinese former BDTCs will
enjoy under Chinese Nationality Law the nationality
guarantees them right of abode in Hong Kong. Recognition
of the advantage that Chinese former BDTCs would have over,
inter alia, Indian former BDTCs in this regard has already
led to the limited concession as to nationality given. the
Hong Kong Indians
concession by grant of right of
(5.4 and 5
above).
Any further
abode would represent,
accordingly, a change in degree but not in kind of the
present policy.
10.5
Reliance was placed by Baroness Young on the
availability of the means of obtaining settlement rights
under the Immigration Rules made under the Immigration Act
1971, and, thereafter, registration (the appropriate
conditions being fulfilled) as British citizens under
Section 4 of the BNA. However to obtain settlement rights
requires at least four years stay in the United Kingdom in
relevant capacity
That is, accordingly,
(Immigration rules HC 169 para 133).
not an option open to those who like
the Hong Kong Indians wish to pursue their life and career
as far and as long as possible in Hong Kong.
10.6
Baroness
Young said that "in the unlikely
event
pressure to leave Hong
that any BN (O)s and BOCS came under
Kong and had nowhere else to go, we would expect the
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