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given that the wives and widows do not, as I understand it, have any other close ties here. I am sorry that I cannot offer more than this.
Ethnic minorities
As to the ethnic minorities, I have considered very carefully all the arguments put forward both by members of LegCo, the Executive Council and the House of Lords. I have to say, however, that in my opinion no considerations have been advanced which lead me to take a different view of the matter from the one which was taken when the 1990 Act was first introduced. The conclusion reached then was that we should not make special provision in the Act to confer British citizenship on members of the ethnic minorities. I can see no grounds for changing our policy on this issue and promoting the legislation which would be required.
An announcement to this effect was made on my behalf by Charles Wardle in answer to a Parliamentary Question on 26 July (a copy of which I enclose). I believe that we have made satisfactory provision for the ethnic minorities and I stand by the assurances that they have been given. I am afraid that I cannot go beyond that.
Assurances for Hong Kong people
On the question of assurances for the wider Hong Kong population I have looked closely at what has been said over the years. I have particularly studied the assurances to which you refer in your letter. I am satisfied that these assurances have always been directed at the concerns of a group of people who will have no nationality after 1997 other than British Nationality (Overseas) or British Overseas Citizenship. The ethnic Chinese will by definition not be in this position.
Charles Wardle repeated our assurance in a debate in the House of Commons on 9 July in the following terms:
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"Over the years, however, we have regularly assured the non-Chinese ethnic minority in Hong Kong that if, against all expectations, members of that group came under pressure to leave Hong Kong and had nowhere else to go, Government of the day would be expected to consider with considerable and particular sympathy their case for admission to the United Kingdom. I am glad, in view of my hon. Friend's remarks, to repeat that assurance today"
I have already written in similar terms to Mrs Emily Lau in response to her letters of 23 June and 15 July.
I am copying this letter to the Governor and to Mr Goodlad at the Foreign Office.
Jum
rincenhy Michaud Howard
MICHAEL HOWARD