RHKP.nat/MISC/njc
write in. Sensitive Serice.
A A Blaze-Gosden Esq
"Draigsweyr"
Weston Lane Martletwy
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Pembrokeshire
Dyfed SA67 8AT
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responsibilities i Thank you for your letter of 24 June to the Prime Minister about the future of Hong Kong and the possibility of offering right of abode in the United Kingdom to certain Royal Hong Kong Police officers. I am sorry not to have been able to reply earlier.
The Prime Minister has a high regard for the sense of loyalty and commitment shown by members of the RHKPF over the years and appreciates that there are doubts and concerns about what the future may hold in store. He attaches the first importance to the full implementation of the Joint Declaration, with all the guarantees for the continuing rule of law in Hong Kong after 1 July 1997 which it contains. is a central priority of the Government to work for this. Mr Patten has made clear his own commitment to this task. Since his arrival in Hong Kong he has also made a particular effort to meet as many police officers as possible and to listen to their views.
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As Stephen Yorke mentioned in his letter of 26 November 1991, the Government have introduced a Nationality Scheme to provide full British citizenship (ie with right of abode in the UK) for up to 50,000 Hong Kong people and their dependants. You do not say whether Mr Ng Chuen-chung and the other officers you mention have already applied for citizenship under this scheme or whether they intend to apply when applications are next invited. Although the processing of applications is still at a fairly early stage, more than 2500 members of the Disciplined Services have already been registered, with their spouses and children, as British Citizens under this scheme