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tool which would ensure that the Hong Kong Government was able to process all applications and issue passports before that time.
-
30 June 1997.
7. Mr Goodlad said that he had become aware
of
misgivings over surrendering BDTC passports on registration as a BN (0). He thought these were misplaced there was no question of BN (0) being a second-class nationality status. In any case BN (0) passport holders retained BDTC status until Nevertheless, recognising the force of Hong Kong concerns, he had written to Mr Wardle to ask the Home Office to consider what might be done to allow British nationals in Hong Kong to hold BDTC passports until 30 June 1997. He thought that it should be possible to work out an administrative solution to allow this to be done. If this were to happen, he believed it would be positively received in Hong Kong. The delegation confirmed that this was the case and thanked Mr Goodlad for his intervention. The Hong Kong Government had not held out
much hope when discussing this sort of possibility. Morris (HKD) noted
it had been quite
that the course suggested was unprecedented correct of HKG to make no undertaking but to report back LegCo apprehensions.
BRITISH CITIZENSHIP FOR WIVES AND WIDOWS OF EX-SERVICEMEN
Mr Goodlad confirmed that we had asked the Home Office to examine again what scope there might be under the British Nationality Act 1981 to grant citizenship to the ladies in question without the necessity of a long stay in the United Kingdom before qualification. The delegation asked whether it would be possible to waive the need for residence in the UK altogether these were elderly ladies, some of whom would perhaps not survive a flight to the UK. Mr Goodlad said that he did not know if this could be done legally and repeated that the Home Office were examining the possibility. He confirmed that he would have no objection to this course, were
it to prove Legally possible.
COMMENT
H
9. On passports for the ethnic minority, the delegation made many familiar points. Their line of questioning suggested to us that LegCo realise that there is no likelihood of British Citizenship, but that LegCo's confidence in Government assurances to this community would be greatly strengthened were they to see evidence of administrative underpining. We have no intention of
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