22-JUN-1993 09:22
B4 IND LIVERPOOL
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1 & JUN 1993
pa jw2876.
44 051 236 3386
2.01
Mr. Barnes. Jones to sel
ARGARET, THE LADY THATCHER, Q.M..P.C., F.R.S.
PRIVATE SECRETARY
HOUSE OF LORDS
LONDON SW1A OPW
fur Rawsthorne (81FAX) Grateful for cedvice & draff-refly,
Juli Walker 1816
82
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5472/6
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Langston Pur Watensky
15 June 1993 M Kotig
Ms me Cest
fur Rock
* BY FAX
First let me congratulate you on your appointment as Home Secretary. The Home Office is perhaps the most diverse and difficult department of government but your experience and abilities will be valuable assets in tackling the challenges of your new role, just as they have been in the other posts you have held.
Last week a delegation from the Hong Kong Legislative Council came to see me. I understand they had met with you previously at the Home Office where they raised several points relating to nationality issues.
The delegation's primary concern was for the future of the 7,000 or so non-Chinese Hong Kong residents from ethnic minorities who have British nationality, as British Nationals (Overseas), but will have no rights of residency either in Hong Kong or in the United Kingdom after 1997.
In 1985 Baroness Young made a commitment in the House of Lords that if pressure was exerted on the ethnic minorities to leave Hong Kong after the handover then the British Government would consider their case sympathetically. I understand that you have undertaken to repeat Baroness Young's commitment in a parliamentary question in the House of Commons. Although the delegation was disappointed that you could go no further than this for reasons which I am the first to realise I believe that a clear statement of the Government's understanding for the concerns of the ethnic minorities and the repeat of the commitment already given might go some way to reassure this particular group. I have told the delegation that I could go no further than the assurance of sympathetic consideration you had given.
The delegation also raised the issue of passports to the wives and widows of ex-servicemen. I understand the difficulty in granting this group any further rights without introducing legislation but I am advised that your Department is looking into any other ways in which you can be of help to them. Again I believe a strong reassurance would do much to allay their fears and I would be grateful if you could let me know the result of your Department's considerations on this point.
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HKD340/6
29
1993
The Rt. Hon. Michael Howard Q.C. MP Secretary of State for the Home Office
TOTAL
1