TRUN HUNO XUNO DILL UNIT
05, 12, 1
.
4.
Coming now to the Bill, Clause 1 requires the Secretary of State to register up to 50,000 persons recommended by the Governor under a scheme approved by Parliament, and Clause 3(3) provides for a committee to advise the Governor on the operation of the
scheme.
Clause 1 also provides that no more than 50,000 people, together with any spouses or minor children, should be registered under the Act. Obviously in arriving at that figure the Government has
had to make a difficult judgment but discussions with Hong Kong since December have reinforced my view that we have got it about
right. It is a number which is capable of having a real impact on emigration and confidence in the Territory, and that is what
matters.
Clearly, citizenship granted to the head of a family would be unlikely to anchor him to Hong Kong if citizenship were not granted also to his immediate family, but it is obviously impossible to provide in the Bill for a limit on the number of wives and children. My Rt Hon friend has, however, given an estimate of the absolute maximum number of people who might
benefit, and that is 225,000.