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PS/Mr Goodlad
HID 340/6
(42)
FROM: N J Cox
Hong Kong Dept
DATE: 19 August 1992
cc: Sir J Coles
(33) A
39) B
40) c
RIGHT OF ABODE IN THE UK FOR CHILDREN BORN BEFORE 1983 TO
CERTAIN BRITISH CITIZENS IN HONG KONG
38
1. I have submitted a separate background note on this subject, which we wish to resolve before Mr Goodlad's
visit to Hong Kong.
2.
During the Secretary of State's visit to Hong Kong
at the end of July, he received the attached letter
from representatives of the families concerned. We have
delayed submitting a reply, pending a reply from the Home
Secretary to the Secretary of State's minute of 4 August. However time is moving on, and we need to send some acknowledgement. At this stage I think all we can safely do is to repeat the Home Secretary's assurance, which the
Secretary of State made public before leaving Hong Kong, and
to say that we shall keep the subject under review. I submit
a draft letter from the Minister of State on these lines.
3. Mr Wardle's letter of 10 August did bring one piece of good news on the deadline for such applications: it does not matter if an applicant is now over 18, provided he lodged his application before his 18th birthday. But I think it best to
keep this powder dry for the moment: if we do not secure any
further movement from the Home Office an announcement of this
during Mr Goodlad's visit would be better than nothing.
Moss.
N J Cox
rtof.abode.BTC
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