shok!
!
Miss Kaye Consular Dept
cc Mr Marcellin
NTD
Mr Longden HKD
Mr Orr
FED
Un kiesz
HKK 340/1
RECLAV
S NOV 1986
REPATRIATION OF BN (0)S TO THE HONG KONG S.A.R.
1.
I have discussed briefly with Repatriation Section
KY
sken
the position of BOCs without the right of abode in the UK.
I was advised that they qualify for consular services, including repatriation, but that, while DSP is not unequivocal, each case would have to be referred.
2.
This means that the uniqueness of what you propose lies not in the proposition in the first sentence of paragraph 2 but in paragraph 5 but in the semi-automatic nature of the safety net. Given the size of the Hong Kong overseas community it would probably require an increase in the Distressed British Subjects provision in the Vote, I cannot see this as attracting extra central funds and it would therefore have to be at the expense of other FCO activities (happily it will be after I retire).
If you decide to go for this route I suggest you should put an appropriate piece into the Consular Department return in the Top Management Round under question (d) as advance warning.
3. There may, however, be other possibilities which are not covered by your draft. I am, for instance, not clear whether the Peoples Republic would consider a Hong Kong belonger who holds a BN(O) passport as also having Chinese nationality. If so
we could surely insure ourselves to some extent by
a)
b)
doing as you say, withdrawing the passport and issuing a BVP
providing that if a debt to HMG was
outstanding for more than a fixed period it constituted a renunciation of BN(O) status.
On that basis we could, perhaps treat BN(O)s just like BOCS.
17 October 1986
Dar
M A Marshall
Finance Department 210-6011
1022)