SECRET

0572

MDHIAN 7

CLASS OF BRITISH NATIONALITY STATUS WHICH IS NEITHER THE EXISTING BDTC/BN(0) NOR FULL BC. THE PURPOSE AND EFFECTS OF THIS NEW STATUS ARE UNCLEAR. IT WILL RAISE MANY QUESTIONS AS TO THE RIGHT IT CONFERS ON THE HOLDERS, IN PARTICULAR HOW HE WILL BECOME A FULL BRITISH CITIZEN AND HOW HIS DEPENDENTS WILL BE TREATED.

(D) SEEM FROM HONG KONG, ANY GUARANTEE THAT THE RIGHT OF ABODE COULD ONLY BE REMOVED BY FURTHER PRIMARY LEGISLATION WOULD CARRY CONVICTION ONLY FOR AS LONG AS THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT REMAINS IN OFFICE. UNLESS IT CAN BE CONVINCINGLY DEMONSTRATED, AT A TIME WHEN THE PREVAILING MOOD IS ONE OF CYNICISM ABOUT A POSSIBLE FUTURE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTIONS, THAT IT WOULD INDEED BE IMPOSSIBLE TO DISMANTLE THE SCHEME IN FUTURE, CAND THIS WOULD SURELY OFFEND AGAINST THE PRINCIPLE THAT NO PARLIAMENT CAN BIND ITS SUCCESSOR) THE LIKELY CONSEQUENCE WOULD BE A MAJOR EXODUS TO THE UK AT AN EARLY DATE. SUCH PRESSURES WOULD OF COURSE BE AGGRAVATED IT THE OPPOSITION WERE TO DISTANCE ITSELF FROM THE SCHEME DURING THE PASSAGE OF THE LEGISLATION THROUGH PARLIAMENT.

3. A FURTHER THOUGHT IS THAT THE SCHEME SEEMS TO SUFFER MOST OF THE POLITICAL PENALTIES OF HAVING TO PUT THROUGH PRIMARY LEGISLATION WITH FEW OF THE BENEFITS.

WILSON

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MR MCLAREN

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