UNCLASSIFIED
HCD 340/6
UNCLASSIFIED
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 1321
OF 031255Z SEPTEMBER 92
INFO PRIORITY BTC HONG KONG
49
177662
MDHOAN 0101
TOP COPY
Q DIST ?
4/9.
(43
YOUR TELNO 2157: RIGHT OF ABODE IN THE UK FOR CERTAIN CHILDREN OF HONG KONG PARENTS
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THE HOME SECRETARY HAS NOW REPLIED TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S MINUTE. IN ADDITION TO THE POINT ABOUT THE OPERATIVE DATE FOR THE AGE LIMIT OF 18 YEARS, THE LETTER (COPY BY FAX) MAKES THE FOLLOWING POINTS:
EACH CASE WILL HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED INDIVIDUALLY AND IT IS NOT THEREFORE POSSIBLE TO GIVE A BLANKET ASSURANCE THAT ALL CHILDREN CONCERNED WILL BE REGISTERED
BUT MR GOODLAD COULD ANNOUNCE IN HONG KONG THAT SUBJECT TO INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION, THE HOME SECRETARY WOULD GRANT APPLICATIONS WHERE THERE IS A BRITISH CITIZEN PARENT AND A BRITISH CITIZEN BROTHER OR SISTER: WHERE THE APPLICANT HAS SOME RESIDENTIAL CONNECTION WITH THE UK SUCH AS STUDYING HERE, OR WHERE THE APPLICANT HAS BEEN ADOPTED IN HONG KONG BY BRITISH CITIZEN PARENTS:
IN ALL OTHER CASES THE HOME SECRETARY WILL LOOK SYMPATHETICALLY AT THE FAMILIES' CIRCUMSTANCES. HE EXPECTS THAT IF THE INFORMATION GIVEN BY THE FAMILIES IS RIGHT, THE VAST MAJORITY OF APPLICATIONS WILL SUCCEED.
2.
DR CH LEONG, WHO HAS BEEN IN THE LEAD ON THIS ISSUE IN OMELCO, CALLED ON MR GOODLAD TODAY. MR GOODLAD READ OUT TO HIM THE RELEVANT PASSAGE FROM THE HOME SECRETARY'S LETTER. DR LEONG WAS VERY PLEASED, AND THOUGHT THAT THESE CRITERIA WOULD COVER MOST OF THE FAMILIES CONCERNED. HE UNDERSTOOD WHY IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO GIVE A BLANKET ASSURANCE.
3.
MR GOODLAD SAID THAT HE WOULD WRITE TO DR LEONG, SETTING OUT THE CRITERIA: THAT HE WOULD READ THIS LETTER OUT WHEN HE SEES OMELCO ON 8 SEPTEMBER: AND THAT HIS LETTER WOULD THEN BE RELEASED. DR LEONG AGREED, ALTHOUGH HE WILL NOT HIMSELF
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