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daughters who might later marry and bring their husbands to the United Kingdom, and elderly relatives, none of whom could easily be denied right of abode. This suggested that unless the total of head of household beneficiaries were reduced significantly below 60,000, the total number of beneficiaries including dependants might exceed 225,000, perhaps by a large margin. It would be important not to put to Parliament a more definite figure than it was possible to achieve and on these grounds the limit was better expressed in terms of heads of household. 50,000 heads of household was the lowest figure which would carry conviction in Hong Kong; although domestic opinion would no doubt prefer a
ower total.
It was arguable that the Bill should specify a ceiling, whether in terms of heads of household or inclusive of dependants, since if this were left to implementing regulations the latter might not be endorsed by Parliament.
i. I was important that key public servants who received BritisDgizenship should remain at their posts until 1997; otherwise the purpose of the scheme would be defeated, and subsequeholders of the same posts would then have to be included in the scheme. This could be an argument for making theirenship effective only from 1997. Against this, a post-dated ward of citizenship, even if legally possible, would to give reassurance since it could be
more easily removed a future Government.
j. Opposition to the present proposals from the Government's supporters Parliament stemmed from a variety of causes, including petion in principle to any further immigration, scepticis about the likelihood of the scheme succeeding in its objective, willingness to tamper with the British Nationality Act 2981, and concern about the likely reactions of the Asianmmity, particularly in the Midlands. An overall total 5,000 beneficiaries including dependants was higher than speculative figures quoted in the press and it would be correspondingly harder to secure its acceptance. An indication that the award of assurances under the scheme would be phased over a period of years would be helpful in presenting theme to the Government's supporters. It would in any case be necessary to hold a proportion of places back for people who took up sensitive posts near the end of the period it would be helpful to state this. It would also be wise to retain some flexibility about the timing of legislation. Nevertheless the legislation would be difficult to get thresk
THE PRIME MINISTER, summing up the discussion, said that Cabinet were agreed that the Government had an inescapa
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