18-AUG-1993
09:52
B4 IND LIVERPOOL
44 051 236 3386
P.02
MINISTER OF STATE
CC
Mr Toon
Mr Barnes
Mr Langdon
Mr Rawsthorne
Mr Walmsley
Mr Kelly
Mr Hebblewhite
Mr Giles
Mr Cameron
i
Mr Rock
HOME OFFICE
QUEEN ANNE'S GATE
LONDON SWIH 9AT
Dear Dacid,
MUD 340/6
RECEPT
19 AUG 1993
DESK OFFICE INDEX
Take
16
it August 1993
Thank you for your letter of 19 July about British citizenship for the Honk Kong ethnic minorities, clarifying the point which you made about these people when you spoke in the debate on the British Nationality (Hong Kong) (Selection Scheme) (Amendment) Order 1993.
It was a formidable undertaking to face such an array of experience and, if I might say so, I found your contribution both understanding and penetrating. I agree that it would be a pity to distort the intricate and detailed arrangements which have been made for implementing the Selection Scheme, particularly at this late stage. I am sure that that would be
a mistake.
Your desire, though, for special arrangements to be made to give British citizenship to the ethnic minorities on top of the 50,000 places provided for in the Scheme would, of course, require fresh legislation.
I was made only too well aware of the strength of feeling about all this during the debate, and the Home Secretary, Charles Wardle and I have carefully considered all the views which were expressed there and elsewhere.
I am afraid, though, that the Home Secretary has concluded that no considerations have been advanced which would lead us to take a different view of the matter from that which was taken when the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act was first introduced, which was not to make special legislative provision to confer British citizenship on members of the ethnic minorities.
The Lord Wilson of Tillyorn GCMG
35 Danvers Street
London
SW3 5AT
\The Government has,
124