1 AUG '90 10:34 FROM BE HOME OFFICE
PARLIAMENTARY UNDER
SECRETARY OF STATE
Fir
HKD 340/8
RECEIVE
DESK INDEX
17 AUG 1990
PA
116
PAGE.002
(37
HOME OFFICE
QUEEN ANNE'S GATE
LONDON SWIH PAT
hoc Us Dent
Али
haydan
Mr Mans Miss Dens
Ms Grimsey
15 July 1990 Mr Miller
Mr Mavey
Mr JB Taylov
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Your article in last week's issue ('The Widows' Mite') about war widows resident in Hong Kong argued that some guarantee should be given to such people about their right to come to the United Kingdom if they wish to do so. The Government has in fact done exactly this.
During the Second Reading of the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Bill, the Home Secretary gave a clear assurance that the widows of former servicemen who served in the defence of Hong Kong during the Second World War would be allowed to come here at any time, either before or after 1997, irrespective of the husband's nationality.
This follows an assurance which the then Home Secretary gave in 1986 that any ex-servicemen who had fought in defence of Hong Kong and were still resident there would be allowed to settle in this country at any time together with their dependents. In addition, to those of them who were British Dependent Territories Citizens he undertook to exercise his discretion and register them as British Citizens if they so applied.
The Editor of The Spectator
Estar hoje.
PETER LLOYD
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