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6.
One Member said that it was not a matter whether the ethnic minorities would become stateless after 1997 or whether they would have difficulties in applying for Chinese nationality. He pointed out that many ethnic minorities did not wish to become Chinese nationals although they would like to remain in Hong Kong. They wanted to have the British passport as insurance against the future. He held the view that the British Government as well as the Hong Kong Government had special responsibility, for these ethnic minorities.
7.
The
with regard to the number of affected ethnic minorities, Dr Simon Vickers said that he could now confirm the figure "7 000" given at the previous meeting was the best estimate available. Mr CHEUNG explained further that the estimate was based on a survey conducted by the Immigration Department and the Census and Statistic Department in 1986. survey indicated that there were 4 500 HKBDTC holders of Indian origin and 2 100 HKBDTC holders of Pakistani origin. The projected figures for these two groups of persons by 1997 were 4 700 and 2 300 respectively. Consideration had been given to conduct a similar survey again. However in view of resources implication (207 man days would be required from the Immigration Department alone, not to mention the assistance required from the Census and Statistic Department) and the unlikelihood that a survey would be able to produce a set of much more reasonable figures than this estimate, it was felt that the idea should not be pursued. Mr CHEUNG also advised that the records were kept on an individual pasis and so it was not possible to find out sure how many families were involved.
8.
ŷ.
Mr KWOK reported that by reference to the surnames of the applicants of the British Nationality Scheme (BNS) (because the application form did not contain information on the applicants' ethnic origin), they had identified 455 applicants with surnames which appeared to be Indian and Pakistani. of which, 272 had been/would be successful in their applications and 183 were unsuccessful. The success rate was therefore 60%, which compared favourable with the average success rate of 61%.
Members felt that the number of families involved would be required when the matter was taken up with the British Government. In view of the difficulties in obtaining such figure, some Members suggested to use the average family size of the 455 Indian and Pakistani BNS applicants as an indication. Mr KWOK pointed out that the Indian and Pakistani BNS applicants may have a smaller family size than the rest of their community and it was also dangerous to use a small and selective sample to project onto the whole population. Nevertheless he agreed to provide Members with the figure. Dr Simon Vickers cautioned that his understanding was that the British Government was not likely to be influenced by numbers at this stage, and was more concerned with the und sirable precedent that might be created by the grant of full British nationality to the ethnic minorities in Hong Kong per se.