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852 645 244.
2.02
8.
Members asked whether the passports issued under the Scheme were different from the passports issued in United Kingdom under other British nationality laws and whether they would be assigned with a set of special serial numbers. Mr KWOK said that the passports issued under the scheme were issued by the Home office team in Hong Kong. They were identical with the format of the British passports issued in United Kingdom and did not have indication on the place of issue. He would find out from the
Home Office the actual number of passports issued under the Scheme and whether they were assigned with special serial numbers.
He also confirmed that the passports issued to members of the split-families did not come under the quota of the Scheme.
S.
Members observed that the average family size of the successful applicants was 2.8, far less than the average family size of 4.5 indicated to the British Parliament. If the present rate of dependants to principal applicants continued, dependants would only total 88 000, making a "saving" of 87 000 passports. They urged the Hong Kong Government to persuade the British Government to increase the number of principal beneficiaries so as to make up the total number of 225 000 passports. Mr KWOK said that the number of dependants would change because the family circumstances of the principal applicant may vary. He pointed out that the control figure in the legislation was 50 000 and the number of 225 000 passports was just an indication of the maximum possible commitment of the British Government. The proposal of increasing the number of principal beneficiaries had been discussed with the British Government and was not supported.
10.
Members noted that the rate of registration was not proportionate to the quota. Mr KWOK explained that it was difficult to achieve an even spread of registration among all occupational groups. For those groups with diversified occupations, more time would be required to verify the qualifications and complete the registration. He assured Members that they would try to achieve a reasonable level of registration for all occupational groups and that all applicants were aware of the position of their applications.
11.
Regarding Members' enquiry about the second phase of the Scheme, Mr KWOK said that the framework for the second phase of the Scheme should largely be the same as the first one except in a few areas where flexibility would be built into the mechanism to tackle the problems encountered, e.g. relocation of the unused places among occupational groups. As legislative amendments in United Kingdom would be required, the Hong Kong Government was already in discussion with the British Government about the detail arrangement. It was hoped that the requisite legislative amendment could be enacted in mid 1993 so that the second phase of the Scheme could be introduced immediately after completion of the first phase on 1 January 1994.
(Mr KWOK left the meeting at this point.)