MAY.12 '86 11:59 GMT HO 2 LUNAR HOUSE
P.04
World War should be granted British citizenship.
And third, that British Dependen1 Territories citizens in Hong Kong who were not ethnically Chinese, who had not exercised their rights to be British Nationals (Overseas) and who had no other form of nationality, should be granted British citizenship in 1997 rather than British Overseas citizenship.
7.
The Government agreed to consider each of these points fully and carefully. As a result, aa the House will know from my announcement on 23 April, we have met two of the three requesta.
8. For the British National (Overseas) passport we will place in each an endorsement which will read: "In accordance with the United Kingdom Immigration Rules the holder of this passport does not require an entry certificate or visa to visit the United Kingdom." An explanatory leaflet will be given to each passport holder which will make clear that we welcome visitors from Hong Kong and which will set out the holder's position under the present Immigration Rules, I am glad that this has been welcomed by the Unofficial Members of the/Legislative Council.
9. We have also agreed to meet the concern for the ex-servicemen. There are about 270. Of these, some 60 or so are eligible to apply for registration as British citizens under section 4(5) of the British Nationality Act 1981. I am ready to consider sympathetically any applications from these ex-servicemen. To meet the needs of the others, I have agreed also that any of the 270 may be accepted here for settlement, together with their dependants. The Legislative and Executive Councils have also welcomed these arrangements.
10.
We considered long and hard the third request that Britian citizenship should be granted to British Dependent Territories citizens who were not ethnically Chinese and who might risk statelessness after 1997. We accept fully our commitments to this community, and we intend to honour them in full.
But we have also to consider the implications of going as far as they have asked, We believe it is not necessary in order to provide them with the proper measure of security they need, and that there would be considerable implications in the years ahead which we could not responsibly ignore,
11.
We have approached the problem with two firm principles in our minds. First, no British Dependent Territories citizen should have any reason at all to fear