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However LegCo members still remain unconvinced and have indicated that they will continue to campaign against the proposed Order. With this intention a group of LegCo members propose visiting the UK between 7-10 June in order to lobby Ministers and MPs.
3. The Governor indicated his concern that the matter risked becoming controversial in UK political terms. We therefore warned Mr Wardle, Home Office Minister responsible, of the danger and suggested defusing LegCo concern by permitting the issue of post-dated BN (0) passports to come into effect on 1 July 1997. In this way Hong Kong people would be able to retain their BDTC passports until the very last minute and LegCo would not then object to legally enforceable cut-off dates. Home Office officials are now looking into the options.
Status of the Ethnic Minority
4.
LegCo members have aired from time to time the issue of full British citizenship for those members of the ethnic minority who have solely British nationality the numbers involved are estimated to be around 7,000 (and are mostly of Indian descent). The focus has sharpened following two debates in LegCo on this subject. The first, last November, resulted in the formation of a sub-committee under the chairmanship of Emily Lau. The most recent debate took place on 10 March at which the HKG reiterated the message that the Home Office and we have been putting over for some time to LegCo representatives:- That Parliament specifically considered the arguments on behalf of this community in Hong Kong during the passage of the British Nationality Scheme in 1990 (BNHKA), and that there was no case for special treatment under the BNHKA, nor for an exception to be made for them under the British Nationality Act 1981. That their position in Hong Kong is secure and their right of abode there protected under the Joint Declaration and Basic Law. That
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