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Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London SW1A 2AH
Mrs Audrey Faber
Stable House Funtington
Chichester
West Sussex PO18 9LG
Dear Mrs Faber,
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12 February 1990
HAD 340/4
RECEIVED IN REGIS
1 1 APR 1990
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I am very sorry that you have not received an earlier reply to your letter of 20 November to the Foreign Secretary about Hong Kong.
The Government have made it clear that it would be impossible to give the right of abode to all Hong Kong British nationals. That would be a massive new immigration commitment on an unprecedented scale, which no future Government could possibly honour.
The Government share the concern felt by many people in Hong Kong about the emigration of talented people from the territory and about the impact of this on Hong Kong's economy and administration. You will already be aware of the measures the Government have decided to take to tackle this problem. I enclose a copy of the statement which the Foreign Secretary made in the House of Commons on 20 December giving the details.
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The aim is to give the key people in the public and private sectors in the territory the assurance needed to persuade them to remain in Hong Kong. This will take the form of full British citizenship and will be awarded without the beneficiary ever having to leave the territory. In setting a ceiling on the scheme 50,000 heads of household or about 225,000 people in all - the Government have had to balance their desire to be as effective as possible in restoring confidence in Hong Kong against the ability to accept the individuals concerned for settlement in this country, should that ever be necessary.
In devising the scheme we have taken account of the representations from companies in Hong Kong and this country about the need to retain their key managers and commercial and technical personnel if they are to remain
BIFACQ