1990 Act that its provisions were never intended to be consistent with the principles in the British Nationality Act 1981; these would remain intact. The concession sought could lay open the way to a renewed attack on our policy that the spouses of existing British citizens resident in Hong Kong must meet the normal requirements for naturalisation. You will recall that we defeated an amendment to the Bill on Commons Third Reading which would have given such spouses a registration entitlement, and I would not want that issue to reopened.
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As you point out, we have previously offered assurances particular groups, such as the wives and widows of British citizens and ex-servicemen, that they would be allowed to settle in the United Kingdom,
Kingdom, subject to certain conditions being fulfilled. These assurances did not compromise the 1981 Act citizenship requirements and do not support a relaxation of section 3(1) criteria. While I cannot agree to any relaxation of these criteria I am, however, prepared, in principle, to consider giving a similar assurance that the children whom you mentioned in your letter could in certain circumstances be allowed to accompany both of their parents to the United Kingdom for settlement, even if they were over the age of 18.
The scope of such an assurance would need careful thought. I do not envisage, for example, that it would extend to families where either the parents or the children were no longer resident in Hong Kong; to married children; or to single children who are no longer dependent on their parents. I would also need to be sure that a commitment along these lines would be confined to the limited number of families mentioned in your letter and that OMELCO would not use a concession in their favour to press for further immigration or nationality concessions for other groups.
I know that you are visiting Hong Kong shortly and you will no doubt have an opportunity to discuss this with OMELCO. Subject to confirmation from OMELCO that an immigration concession could provide a way forward, and would not be used by them as the basis of representations on behalf of other groups, I suggest that our officials should discuss the precise terms of a possible undertaking when you have returned from Hong Kong.
Yem
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PETER LLOYD
2 dI ON
22:60 1661 61'ZI
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