107
HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
18 November 1992
香港立法局
一九九二年十一月十八日
107
以上的安排,實際上是製造了一批將會是無國籍的人,這是有違英國已簽署的「減少無 國籍人士國際公約」。
副主席先生, 我們認為英國政府應該立即無條件歸還這些人士全面的英國公民國籍身 份,不應繼續推卸及拖延履行道德及法律的責任。他們希望留在香港,不是希望離開。
對於夏佳理議員的修訂動議,實際上只是要求提供進入英國的權利,並不是完整國籍所 應享的權利,顯然不能相提並論。這對比八九年七月五日本局通過李鵬飛議員的動議,在 討論「居英權」計劃時所要求的:香港的英國屬土公民應該享有居英的權利來說,是一項 倒退,我們是無權替這些非華裔居民作出這樣的讓步,所以我們反對修訂動議。
副主席先生,港同盟贊成通過理覺議員的原動議,反對夏佳理議員的修訂動議。
MR HOWARD YOUNG: Mr Deputy President, I agree that what we are discussing today is nothing new but old. If the South China Morning Post had a column that read "Seven Years Ago Today", then they would have an article that says "Minorities fear they will be out in the cold". This article of seven years ago said and that was really the comment on the then announced new British BNO passport scheme and I quote "The Managing Director of Swire Travel Limited, Mr Howard YOUNG, thought that the new nationality proposals were workable and in line with the Joint Declaration." But in another paragraph it also said, "Mr YOUNG stressed the British Government had a responsibility to look after Hong Kong's ethnic minorities if they were stateless after 1997 and to offer them the right of abode in Britain." Seven years hence, my views have not changed. Seven years hence, the British Government has done nothing.
I think the ethnic minorities we are talking about are mainly those of ethnic Indian origin but also Pakistanis and other Asians. They have lived in Hong Kong, not just for many years, but I believe many generations. In fact many of them had for generations contributed to Hong Kong's prosperity long before we ourselves or our parents came to Hong Kong.
I am from the travel and tourism industry; so I will look at this mainly from the travel document aspect. I believe that in Hong Kong there are roughly 22 000 persons of Indian ethnic origin of whom roughly 6 000 carry BDTC passports. BDTC passports are a passport by British standards but they will no longer be valid from 1 July 1997. British National Overseas passports will be valid post-1997 but the Chinese