FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 1981
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BRITISH NATIONALITY BILL
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FOLLOWING THE SECOND READING OF THIS BILL IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TODAY ISSUED THE FOLLOWING FURTHER PRESS STATEMENT
+EVER SINCE THE PUBLICATION OF THE GREEN PAPER IN 1977, THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS MADE CONTINUING REPRESENTATIONS ON THE QUESTION OF BRITISH NATIONALITY AT EACH STAGE. THESE REPRESENTATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE UNITED KINGDOM GOVERNMENT BOTH AT THE OFFICIAL LEVEL AND BY SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS
OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS TO MINISTERS. IN ADDITION, THE ANGLO-HONG KONG PARLIAMENTARY GROUP HAS BEEN ADVISED ABOUT THE STRENGTH OF FEELINGS IN HONG KONG ON THIS SUBJECT- ITS CHAIRMAN, SIR PAUL BRYAN MADE A NUMBER OF POINTS STRONGLY AND CLEARLY IN HIS SPEECH IN THE SECOND READING DEBATE.*
THE GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE PROCEDURE WAS NOW FOR THE BILL TO BE CONSIDERED IN COMMITTEE. THEN WOULD FOLLOW THE DEBATE AT THE REPORT STAGE IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS AND A DEBATE
IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS. THE COMMITTEE STAGE IS THE ONE IN WHICH AMENDMENTS TO THE LEGISLATION ARE MOST LIKELY TO BE DISCUSSED, HE EMPHASISED, THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE ITS VIEWS KNOWN DURING THIS PERIOD.
THE SPOKESMAN POINTED TO THE SPEECH OF THE HOME SECRETARY (MR WILLIAM WHITELAW) WHEN PROPOSING THE SECOND READING OF THE BILL. THE HOME SECRETARY SAID WE ARE AWARE OF THE STRENGTH OF FEELING IN HONG KONG ON THE NEED TO MAINTAIN THE TIES BETWEEN THAT TERRITORY AND THE UNITED KINGDOM. I WOULD LIKE TO REAFFIRM THAT THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION IS IN NO WAY INTENDED TO WEAKEN THOSE LINKS, TO WHICH WE ATTACH GREAT IMPORTANCE.+
IN HIS SPEECH, SIR PAUL BRYAN STATED THAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG ARE SENSITIVE TO EVIDENCE OF ANY WEAKENING OF THE LINKS BETWEEN BRITAIN AND HONG KONG. HE SAID THAT EVER SINCE THE INTRODUCTION OF THE GREEN PAPER ON NATIONALITY FOUR YEARS AGO, HE AND OTHERS INTERESTED IN HONG KONG HAD TAKEN EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO IMPRESS ON SUCCESSIVE HOME SECRETARIES THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING SURE THAT THIS BILL, WHEN IT WAS FINALLY INTRODUCED, DID NOTHING TO CAST DOUBT ON THE BRITISH COMMITMENT TO HONG KONG.
IN CONCLUDING THE DEBATE ON THE SECOND READING, MR TIMOTHY RAISON, MINISTER OF STATE AT THE HOME OFFICE, SAID THAT ALL THE POINTS MADE BY SIR PAUL BRYAN WOULD BE CONSIDERED DURING THE COMMITTEE STAGE. HE REPEATED THE HOME SECRETARY'S EMPHATIC STATEMENT THAT THE BILL HAD NO RACIAL OVERTONES, AND THE HOME SECRETARY'S REASSURANCE ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE OF LINKS BETWEEN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND HONG KONG.
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