CONFIDENTIAL
140300 MDHOAN 2327
IS ENVISAGED.
HE POINTS OUT THAT THE HOME OFFICE HAVE A LEGAL OBLIGATION TO CONSIDER THESE CASES ON A CONSISTENT BASIS AND A CHANGE IN POLICY, WHICH COULD NOT APPLY TO HONG KONG ALONE, WOULD HAVE TO BE CLEARLY DEFINED.
4.
MR LLOYD HAS THEREFORE ASKED US TO OBTAIN THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION FROM YOU:
(I) WHAT IS THE SIZE OF THE POTENTIALLY ELIGIBLE POPULATION IN HONG KONG - IE HOW MANY CROWN SERVANTS AND OTHERS IN DESIGNATED SERVICE ARE BRITISH CITIZENS RECRUITED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM WITH NON-BRITISH SPOUSES QUERY (WE GAVE THE HOME OFFICE THE FIGURES IN YOUR LETTER OF 11 MAY, IE 100 EXPATRIATE CIVIL SERVANTS FROM THE UK WHOSE WIVES ARE NOT BRITISH CITIZENS, OF WHICH 50 ARE IN THE POLICE AND 10 ARE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS. BUT THE HOME OFFICE SAY THAT DONALD TSANG HAS RECENTLY TOLD THEM THAT THE NUMBER OF EXPATRIATE ADMINISTRATION OFFICERS IS 126, AND THE NUMBER OF EXPATRIATE INSPECTORS AND ABOVE IN THE POLICE IS 924. THEY SUGGEST THAT, GIVEN THE TERMS OF THE RECRUITMENT OF INSPECTORS, NAMELY THAT THEY SHOULD BE UNMARRIED, A SIGNIFICANT PROPORTION ARE LIKELY TO MARRY LOCALLY. SUGGEST THAT THE SAME MAY BE TRUE OF EXPATRIATE CIVIL SERVANTS RECRUITED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, USUALLY IMMEDIATELY AFTER LEAVING UNIVERSITY. THIS LEADS THEM TO CONCLUDE THAT THE NUMBERS INVOLVED MAY BE LARGER THAN PREVIOUSLY ESTIMATED).
THEY
(II) HAVING REGARD TO THE POSTS HELD BY THOSE CONCERNED, IN
APPROXIMATELY HOW MANY OF THEM WOULD YOU BE LIKELY TO SUPPORT AN APPLICATION FOR THE NATURALISATION OF A SPOUSE, APPLYING THE EXISTING CRITERIA IN THE SAME WAY AS THEY HAVE BEEN APPLIED IN THE PAST QUERY THE HOME OFFICE KNOW THAT IN THE PAST YOU HAVE TAKEN A FAIRLY RIGOROUS LINE, AS THE CRITERIA REQUIRE. THEY WOULD NEED TO SEE WHAT RESULTS A CONTINUATION OF THAT POLICY MIGHT PRODUCE IN ORDER TO ASSESS THE SCOPE FOR, AND CONSEQUENCES OF, RELAXING IT.
(III) IN WHAT WAYS WOULD THE CRITERIA BE ALTERED UNDER THE MORE GENEROUS POLICY WHICH YOU NOW ADVOCATE AND IN HOW MANY OF THE ELIGIBLE CASES WOULD YOU BE LIKELY TO SUPPORT THE APPLICATION UNDER THE REVISED CRITERIA QUERY
5.
I AM SORRY TO HAVE TO ASK FOR THIS FURTHER INFORMATION BUT,
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