6 March 1991
The Editor
The Guardian
119 Farringdon Road
LONDON
EC1
PS/Lord Galleriess
I submit a revised
draft as approved by Lord Cashness
16/3
X
I would like to correct a fundamental inaccuracy in
Gerald Segal's commentary of 5 March on our Nationality Scheme for Hong Kong. Mr Segal is wrong to state that
250,000 people from Hong Kong have been offered places. The true situation is that there are places for 50,000
heads of households and their families available under
the Scheme: 43,500 now, in the first tranche, and the
rest are to be allocated closer to 1997. The total
number of applications for this first tranche was 65,723.
Mr Segal claims that less than 10% of the available
places had been applied for. In fact the Scheme was over
subscribed by more than 50%.
The Scheme is targetted on key people in Hong Kong whose presence there is essential for the future success of the
territory. The aim is not to lure them to Britain. On
the contrary, the aim is to give them the confidence to
stay on.
CTWAKM