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need primary Legin
SERIOUS
DISADVANTAGES HERE. IT WOULD BE PATENTLY DIVISIVE IN THAT IT WOULD DISCRIMINATE AGAINST NON-CROWN SERVANTS. THERE WOULD BE STRONG COMMUNITY AS WELL AS OMELCO SENSITIVITIES ON THIS. I HAVE SO FAR RECOMMENDED, DESPITE PROBABLE RECRIMINATIONS FROM THE CIVIL SERVICE, THAT CIVIL SERVANTS SHOULD CONSTITUTE A MINORITY AMONG THE BENEFICIARIES IN THE SCHEME. THE EFFECT OF THIS WOULD BE UNDERMINED
IF THE SCHEME PROVIDES PASSPORTS FOR CIVIL SERVANTS BUT A LESSER DOCUMENT FOR OTHERS. ANOTHER DISADVANTAGE OF USING AN UNALTERED
SECTION 4(5) ROUTE FOR CROWN SERVANTS ALONE IS THAT THIS DOES NOT PROVIDE FOR DEPENDENTS. AS I EXPLAINED IN LONDON, SECURITY FOR THEIR DEPENDENTS LOOMS LARGE IN THE MINDS OF CIVIL SERVANTS. ENTRY CLEARANCE FOR DEPENDENTS WILL BOTH BE INADEQUATE AS AN ASSURANCE AND TRIGGER EARLY DEPARTURE TO THE U.K. TO TURN IT INTO SOMETHING MORE SUBSTANTIAL.
4. IF, AS I TRUST WILL NOT BE THE CASE, A CITIZENSHIP-ONLY SCHEME TURNS OUT TO BE DEFINITELY OUT OF THE QUESTION, THE ONLY (ONLY) WAY IN WHICH AN ENTRY CLEARANCE SCHEME COULD BE MADE TO WORK WOULD BE MODIFY THE EXISTING RESIDENCE QUALIFICATION IN THE BAN BY DEEMING RESIDENCE IN HONG KONG AS RESIDENCE IN THE U.K. FOR THE PURPOSE OF REGISTERING RECIPIENTS OF AN ENTRY CLEARANCE AS FULL
BRITISH CITIZENS AFTER A REQUISITE PERIOD. WE CANNOT THINK OF ANY OTHER WAY OF GUARANTEEING ENTRY CERTIFICATES, EG BY MAKING THEM OPEN-ENDED ETC. THAT WOULD DO THE TRICK.
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5. AS SEEN FROM HERE (ALTOGETHER YOU WILL BE IN A FAR BETTER POSITION THAN ME TO JUDGE THE PARLIAMENTARY IMPLICATIONS OF THE LEGISLATION REQUIRED), THE POINTS ABOVE ARGUE FOR A RING-FENCED HONG KONG BILL WHICH WILL AVOID CREATING PRECEDENTS FOR OTHER TERRITORIES AS WELL AS RECOGNISING THE GENUINELY UNIQUE POSITION OF HONG KONG.
6. MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS, INCLUDING THOSE BY THE PRIME MINISTER, HAVE LED TO EXPECTATIONS OF A SCHEME TO BE ANNOUNCED BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR AT THE LATEST. SO I VERY MUCH HOPE THAT A PACKAGE CAN BE ANNOUNCED SOON. THE ACTUAL ANNOUNCEMENT COULD, IF NEED BE, BE IN BROAD TERMS ONLY WITH SOME OF THE FINER DETAIL TO FOLLOW. SINCE ANY EFFECTIVE SCHEME WOULD REQUIRE LEGISLATION, SOME TIME MUST OBVIOUSLY BE ALLOWED FOR THAT BEFORE THE SCHEME IS PUT INTO PRACTICE. BUT I HOPE THERE WILL BE NO QUESTION OF LEGISLATION BEING SQUEEZED OUT DURING THE CURRENT SESSION BY OTHER PRESSURES. IT WOULD BE INCOMPREHENSIVE HERE IF MINISTERS DECIDED THAT THE NATIONALITY PACKAGE WAS GIVEN THAT SORT OF LOW PRIORITY. AT PRESENT WE ARE WORKING ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT WE WILL BE IN A POSITION TO
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