C.
If any solely British national with no claim to Chinese
nationality came under severe pressure to leave Hong Kong the
British government of the day would consider with particular
sympathy their case for admission to the United Kingdom.
Repeated assurances to this effect have been given by Ministers
in Parliament: copies of the relevant extracts from Hansard are
attached at Annexes G J.
d. Provided they hold some form of British nationality or have
applied for registration or naturalisation as BDTCs by virtue of
a connection with Hong Kong, the ethnic minorities have the same
chance as everybody else in Hong Kong to compete for the British
citizenship places on offer under the British Nationality Scheme.
(We have no figures to
no figures to show their
show their success under the scheme.
Information is not collected on an ethnic basis).
Hong Kong's misgivings
5. The legislative councillors have
have heard these arguments
several times before and it is clear from the record of the 18
November debate that they are not convinced. They remain
doubtful about right of abode in Hong Kong; they are dissatisfied
with the disappearance of British nationality after the third
generation; they regard the British nationality on offer as
second rate, on the ground that the passports have only travel
document status and that there will be no British consular
protection for these British nationals in Hong Kong; and they say
that the ethnic minorities by and large do not have the
characteristics required to succeed under the British Nationality