The Rt Hon Michael Howard MP
Secretary of State for Employment
Caxton House Tothill Street LONDON SW1
Foreign & Commonwealth
Office
London SW1 2AH
From The Minister of State
21 December 1990
Dene Michael
DEPENDENT TERRITORIES QUOTA
(Sots's letter!?
A copy of Kenneth Baker's letter of 17 December proposing a revised text for the announcement of the produced quota for 1991 was sent to Douglas Hurd, in whose absence I am writing.
We continue to prefer the text enclosed with Douglas' letter of 6 December. But if it is felt that the decision to abolish the quota for Hong Kong needs some explanation, I am afraid that the suggested form of words will not do for the reasons given in my letter of
6 December. Our nationality package is designed to give key people in Hong Kong the confidence to remain there. By no stretch of the imagination could it be argued that the people who come here under the Dependent Territories Work Permit Quota are key people in the sense of those covered by the nationality package.
I understand that your officials are recommending that an announcement be deferred until we have had an opportunity to consider the matter further.
I am copying this letter to members of OD(K), the Attorney General, the Chief Whip, Sir Percy Cradock and to Sir Robin Butler.
V
Douglas Hogg