SECRET
Сс Mr Hammond Mr Langdon
Mr R M Morris Mr Page
HONG KONG BILL
I attach a first draft of the Instructions.
Of the matters currently in square brackets, the most important
(on which we shall need more information) are
Redacted
(a) the financing of the Scheme. This would appear to be a
matter of local law which you undertook to pursue in
Hong Kong. The sort of point which worries me is
whether registration as a British citizen under the Bill
is to take place in the UK.
we shall need a UK
fees order. If the whole process is going to take place
in Hong Kong it may be necessary only to have a local
Hong Kong fees order;
If so
(b) you have now sent me a note indicating that we are being
under FOI exemption section 27(1)
pressed strongly to include in the Scheme not only
BDTC's and BNO's but also people who have applied to be
naturalised as HK BDTC's but whose applications have not
yet been processed (I understand
is in this category). In addition there
are about 1,000 BOC's, BPP's and other British subjects
in Hong Kong and some consideration is being given to
including these nationals in the Scheme as well. There
is no difficulty of principle about this but there
will be problems of definition which will need working
MAAR
up.
SECRET
– 1 –
2b JAN 1990