OT-FEB-1990 17:42
GOVERNMENT SECPETAPIAT.
CONFIDRIOS
2
853 521 7058
F.15
population (i.e. 550,000) would apply for British citizenship. This percentage, though arbitrarily set, is considered a fair and reasonable estimate.
(c) Recent surveys undertaken by the private sector
have suggested that between 310,000 and 360,000
professionals should be granted full British
citizenship in order to retain them to contribute
to Hong Kong's continuous stability and prosperity.
Hong Kong has a 180,000-strong civil service.
Its members are likely applicants, because
they consider that they have a legitimate claim
to the scheme. Taking these two groups together,
it roughly gives the same figure of 500,000.
2
To process applications made under the scheme,
the following administrative arrangements will be adopted :-
(a)
Staffing
It is estimated that 128 officers will be required
at the inception of the scheme to cope with
!
the anticipated applications.
According to
the present plan, the staffing levels will
be adjusted and scaled down by phase to a minimum
of 34 officers (Annex 1). Should the number
of actual applications exceed the estimation,
there are several ways of absorbing the workload
CONFIDENTIAL