to "the special circumstances of the applicant's case" is to the individua
concerned and could not be interpreted (as has been suggested) as referring to the general situation prevailing in Hong Kong.
25.
We have received 499 applications in this category and citizenship was granted in 8 cases. 4 of those were in Crown service and 4 had given their services unpaid. The views of the Governor are always taken into account in
considering Crown service applications. The large number of refusals does
not in any way detract from the quality of service of the applicants; it simply reflects the fact that the criteria described during the passage of
the Bill effectively limit the grant of citizenship to those whose service
has been both outstanding and of benefit to the UK.
26.
Section 4(5) is drafted in such broad terms that it is impossible to
calculate how many people could be eligible to apply for citizenship. In
1987 the strength of the Hong Kong Civil Service was some 179,000. But
retired Crown servants could also apply, as could any past or present member
of any body in Hong Kong, members of which have been appointed by the Crown. Nor is section 4(5) confined to Hong Kong. Anyone in Crown service in any
Dependent Territory may apply and it would be difficult, on the basis of
service, to single out Hong Kong applicants for special treatment.
Ex-servicemen in Hong Kong
27. The one group for whom special arrangements have been made is
ex-servicemen living in Hong Kong who fought in the defence of Hong Kong. In April 1986, in response to representations from the Legislative Council the 462 Home Secretary announced that they could be registered under the section/i they were BDTCs (or other British national) and if their service had been
under the Government of Hong Kong. (O.R. Written Answers 23 April 1986
col 147). The number who might be eligible was estimated at 60 and to date
51 applications have been approved. It is not possible under the 1981 Act to
confer citizenship on servicemen whose service was not under the Government
of Hong Kong, but the Home Secretary made it clear that he would give
sympathetic consideration to an application for settlement in the UK from any
of the 270 or 80 former servicemen in Hong Kong and their dependants who
wished to come to the UK.
- 8 -