MAY.07 '86 16:32 GMT HO 2 LUNAR HOUSE
P.05
13. So British citizenship cannot strengthen these people's position in Hong
Kong: nor can it extend to more than 2 generations born in
in the future.
Hong Kong
14. But there are also points of principle and fairness which I ask your Lordships
to consider. It has been argued that whatever we do for the people of Hong Kong
has no implications for British nationals elsewhere in the world. With respect,
we doubt that. One of the aims of the British Nationality Act 1981 which were
fully discussed in this House and accepted by your Lordships was to confer on Britis
nationals a form of nationality which accurately reflected their links with the
United Kingdom or elsewhere. British citizenship is a reflection of a person's
links with the United Kingdom itself. Generally speaking, British nationals
connected with former dependencies became British Overseas citizens on
1 January 1983. The special position of Hong Kong has been recognised through
the arrangements we have prepared for them all to have the right to acquire British
National (Overseas) status. If they do not do so, then it would be a proper
reflection of their position for them to be British Overseas citizens.
them British citizenship would be wholly anomalous,
To grant
15.
We must also consider the effect on other British Overseas citizens. There
are about 2 million British Overseas citizens throughout the world, of whom about
800,000 have no other nationality. We must have regard to their position if we
were to conclude that British Overseas citizenship was not an appropriate form
of nationality for some groups of people in Hong Kong who appeared to them to be in a
similar position to themselves.
16. There are also the implications for immigration into this country. At present
there are about 11,500 people who might benefit in 1997 from the grant of British
also further members of the) citizenship. But there are about another 60,000] ethnic minorities in Hong Kong
who could apply to become British Dependent Territories citizens, and who might
also consequently benefit. We cannot responsibly leave open this uncertain, but possibly very large commitment.
17. To grant British citizenship with the right of abode in this country could
therefore cause a series of pressures, strains and stresses the results of which
are uncertain and unpredictable but which could well have a serious impact not
only in Hong Kong itself, but in many other parts of the world where British
Overseas citizens are currently living and in the United Kingdom itself. We cannot
responsibly go into the years up to 1997 on this basis. Nor should we at this stage seek to provide an alternative measure just in case - which could only
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