EST 112
DRAFT LETTER
ADDRESSEE'S REFERENCE
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Andrew Faulds Esq MP
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* House of Commons
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LONDON
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* SW1A OAA
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FILE NUMBER ....IMG/86..9/387.1.7.(S)......
ENCLOSURES
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COPIES TO BE SENT TO
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(FULL POSTAL ADDRESS)
LETTER DRAFTED FOR SIGNATURE BY
(FULL ADDRESSES,
IF NECESSARY)
Mr Waddington
(NAME OF SIGNATORY).
As you know, your letter of 1 July to Tim Renton, enclosing an extract
from the South China Morning Post about the position of ex-servicemen in
Hong Kong, has been passed to me for reply.
It seems to me that this Press article is confusing the concepts of
citizenship, settlement and right of abode. The undertaking that was
given in the Home Secretary's written answer on 23 April and confirmed
in subsequent debates in both Houses was quite clear. It was as follows:-
"The Counsel's second request was that former servicemen
in Hong Kong who served in the defence of Hong Kong in the
second World War should be granted British citizenship.
The number involved is about 270. In view of their particular
service, the Government will meet the spirit of this request.
It is not possible under the British Nationality Act 1981
to confer British citizenship on them all regardless of the
nature of their service or their present citizenship. But
I will consider sympathetically applications for registration
as British citizens under section 4(5) of the British
Nationality Act 1981 from any who are eligible under this
provision because they are British Dependent Territories Citizens
or other British nationals and because they served under the
Government of Hong Kong, for example in the Hong Kong Volunteers.
The number who might be eligible is likely to be about 60.
I am
35366 12/84 XLYQ526A