a risk that increasing these points would distort the
ratio in favour of the public sector. Nevertheless Home
Office and FCO officials are still considering the
issue.
(e) Non-British Spouses of HKG Officials and Police.
The Home Office are considering the Governor's request
that the Home Secretary should use his powers (under
Section 6(2) of the British Nationality Act 1981) to
naturalise the spouses of some 100 British citizens
serving as HKG civil servants and policemen.
(f) Approved Secondment Scheme (ASS). The British
business community are very keen on an idea floated at an early stage of the scheme but abandoned in the final
draft. This would have allowed a two year secondment in
the UK together with three years service in Hong Kong to
count towards naturalisation. the attraction to firms
is that, unlike the Selection Scheme, it gives them the
choice of which staff will benefit.
(g) Changes to the Immigration Rules. A number of people in Hong Kong who have Indefinite Leave to Enter
or Remain (ILR) in the UK are concerned that the 1 May
changes in the Immigration Rules will make it harder for
them to retain this status. While it has never been
intended that people who are not ordinarily resident in
the UK should retain ILR, we are keen that the Rules
should operate sensibly, and the changes should not
cause damage to confidence in Hong Kong. Evidence to
date indicates that more Hong Kong people have been accepted into the UK as returning residents since the changes there in the same period last year.
DAWAEQ/4