WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 1980
BRITISH WHITE PAPER WILL NOT ALTER UK IMMIGRATION STATUS OF
HONG KONG RESIDENTS ***
THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TODAY (WEDNESDAY) PUBLISHED A WHITE PAPER ON BRITISH NATIONALITY LAW, OUTLINING ITS IDEAS ON A NEW SCHEME OF CITIZENSHIP. THE WHITE PAPER COMES THREE YEARS AF TER THE PUBLICATION OF A GREEN PAPER ON THE SUBJECT.
THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION WOULD NOT ALTER THE UK IMMIGRATION STATUS OF HONG KONG RESIDENTS. THE RULES GOVERNING THE ENTRY OF HONG KONG RESIDENTS TO THE UNITED KINGDOM WOULD REMAIN UNCHANGED. A HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN EMPHASISED THAT THE PROPOSED LAW WOULD NOT AFFECT THE UK IMMIGRATION STATUS OR RIGHTS OF HONG KONG RESIDENTS. AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT CONSTITUTIONALLY THE POSITION OF HONG KONG REMAINS THE SAME,+ HE SAID.
+ IN PARTICULAR, NO CHANGE IS PROPOSED IN THE RULES REGARDING THE ENTRY OF HONG KONG RESIDENTS TO THE UK.+
THE SPOKESMAN SAID IT WAS ESSENTIALLY A MATTER OF THE NOME NG LATURE BEING ALTERED.
*THERE IS NO QUESTION WHATEVER OF HONG KONG RESIDENTS BEING REGARDED AS 'SECOND CLASS' CITIZENS,+ HE STRESSED. OUR RIGHTS REMAIN THE SAME.+
THE PRESENT NATIONALITY ACT DATES BACK TO 1948 AND HAS UNDERGONE SO MANY AMENDMENTS IT HAS BECOME CUMBERSOME, OBSCURE AND OUT OF DATE. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAS CONCLUDED, THEREFORE, THAT A NEW LAW IS NECESSARY TO REFLECT THE MANY CHANGES IN THE STRUCTURE OF THE COMMONWEALTH OVER THE PAST 31 YEARS.
THE WHITE PAPER PROPOSES TO REPLACE THE 2-TIER CITIZENSHIP SCHEME SUGGESTED IN THE GREEN PAPER BY A 3-TIER CITIZENSHIP SCHEME. CITIZENSHIP OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AND COLONIES WOULD DISAPPEAR AND EVERYONE HOLDING IT WHEN THE NEW LEGISLATION CAME
INTO FORCE WOULD ACQUIRE A NEW CITIZENSHIPI
* THOSE WHO HAD CLOSE CONNECTIONS WITH THE UNITED KINGDOM
WOULD BECOME + BRITISH CITIZENS+
* THOSE WITH SIMILAR CONNECTIONS WITH A DEPENDENT TERRITORY
WOULD BECOME +CITIZENS OF THE BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES+-
* THOSE WHO DID NOT FALL INTO EITHER OF THESE TWO CATEGORIES
WOULD BECOME +BRITISH OVERSEAS CITIZENS+,