E.R.
9.
10.
11.
The UK Government is seriously concerned about this loss of
confidence. Most people who leave Hong Kong do so reluctantly
in order to acquire another citizenship or residence rights
elsewhere as an assurance against a future they feel is
uncertain. To stem this flow and boost confidence in the
territory the UK Government is making special arrangements to
grant British Citizenship (and thus right of abode in the UK)
to selected people in Hong Kong who play key roles in the
Territory's continuing administration and prosperity. This
will give an assurance for the future without the recipients
needing to leave Hong Kong, the UK Government believes that
this will encourage key people to stay in the territory, to
the benefit of Hong Kong as a whole.
The British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1990, which became law
on 26 July, sets the framework for the new arrangements and
enables the Home Secretary to register as British citizens up
to 50,000 Hong Kong residents, plus their spouses and their
minor children, who are recommended for registration by the
Governor of Hong Kong. The principal beneficiaries will also,
provided they remain in Hong Kong, be able to pass British
citizenship to a future spouse married before these special
arrangements come to an end in 1997, and, under the normal
operation of British Nationality law, will be able to pass citizenship to future children. There will be no special
arrangements to benefit grandchildren or other members of the
family. The Government's estimate is that the total number
of people who will acquire British Citizenship under these
arrangements will not exceed 225,000.
The details of the scheme for selecting the 50,000 Hong Kong
residents will be set out in subordinate legislation which
will go before Parliament in Autumn 1990. Over 70% of the
available places will be available for general allocation to
applicants from a wide range of occupations in Hong Kong. Applications will be divided into broad occupational groups
business and management, accountancy, engineering,
information sciences, medicine and science, law and education
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