"INDIAMAIL": DRAFT WRITTEN QUESTION AND ANSWER BRIEF
Q1. Prime Minister the values that you preach hard work/family/free enterprise are matters very close to the heart of most Asians in the UK. In fact the last 10 years of "Thatcherism" have economically benefitted the Asian community in particular, and you have a lot of admirers amongst them. Some of them feel your soul is "Asian" - Any comments?
A.
[To be provided by No. 10].
Q2.
Mr Norman Tebbit during the Hong Kong Nationality Bill spoke of the "Cricket Test" loyalty, asking which side Asians would cheer for. What are your views on this?
A. Mr Tebbit's comments were made as a backbench Member of Parliament. They do not in any way represent Government policy. Mr Tebbit was expressing a personal point of view, as he is perfectly entitled to do in a democracy like ours just as one is free to support whatever cricket team one wants.
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Q3. Talking of granting British passports to Hong Kong Chinese - may I remind you Prime Minister that even today there are over 30,000 East African British passport holders in India waiting to enter the UK. Her Majesty's Goverment has applied a "quota voucher system" whereby only 500 can be admitted every year.
For someone at the end of the queue it could possibly take over 60 years to be given this right of residence. What is Her Majesty's Goverment's plan to speed up this process in view of the fact that you are now planning to give the Hong Kong Chinese "right of residence" in the UK?
A. I am glad to say your figures are inaccurate. At the end of June 1990, there were only 946 outstanding applications for quota vouchers in India. This number refers to heads of household only, but their dependants are included in the application and are allowed to join or accompany them to the United Kingdom. We estimate there are now fewer than 3,000 people waiting in this particular queue. Those applicants currently at the end of the queue can expect to be interviewed within the next 16 months.
There is no comparison between the quota voucher system and our scheme to grant British citizenship to up to 50,000 key people in Hong Kong and their immediate families. The aim of our nationality package for Hong Kong is to encourage key people to remain in the territory so that they continue to contribute to its prosperity and stability.
TOFABK