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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1989
LORD GLENARTHUR: WELL, SECTION 4(5) OF THE BRITISH NATIONALITY ACT HAS ALWAYS BEEN EXPLAINED TO THOSE CONCERNED AS BEING ONE AT WHICH THE INDIVIDUAL CASES WOULD BE LOOKED AT ON THEIR MERITS AND I MADE IT PLAIN IN 1986 THAT IT WAS ALWAYS INTENDED THAT DISCRETIONARY FLEXIBILITY SHOULD BE USED VERY SPARINGLY AND THE CRITERION IS ONE OF HIGH QUALITY OF SERVICE AND THAT IS WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT INDIVIDUAL CASES ON THEIR OWN MERITS. IT DOESN'T MEAN TO SAY WE UNDER-VALUE IN ANY SENSE THOSE WHO DON'T OR AREN'T IN THE END SUCCESSFUL. BUT IT IS ONE OF INDIVIDUAL CASES.
TOM MCMULLAN (PRESS ASSOCIATION, UK): CAN I TAKE YOU BACK TO THE ISSUE OF MACAU, ARE YOU ACTUALLY SAYING THAT IT IS REASONABLE FOR THE PEOPLE OF MACAU TO BE ABLE TO ENTER THE UNITED KINGDOM MORE EASILY THAN THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, AND IF NOT WHAT DO YOU THINK THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT SHOULD DO ABOUT IT?
DIFFERENCE OF
LORD GLENARTHUR: I AM SAYING THAT THERE IS A HISTORY BETWEEN THE WAY THAT MACAU AND THE PORTUGUESE HAVE DEVELOPED AND THE WAY THAT HONG KONG AND THE UNITED KINGDOM HAVE DEVELOPED AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT THOSE DIFFERENCES REMAIN AND THAT THERE IS
I REALLY SEE NO PROSPECT OF FURTHER CHANGES IN THE BRITISH NATIONALITY LAW TO ALLOW HONG KONG PEOPLE WHO HAVE BRITISH NATIONALITY THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.
TOM MCMULLAN: DO YOU THINK THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT MIGHT TAKE THIS UP WITHIN THE EEC, OR NOT?
LORD GLENARTHUR: WELL, IT IS SOMETHING THAT CERTAINLY I SHALL NEED TO LOOK AT IN SOME DETAIL WHEN I GET BACK HOME. IT HAS CROPPED UP IN A PARTICULARLY LIVE WAY IN THE LAST FEW DAYS SINCE I HAVE BEEN AWAY. IT IS A MATTER THAT AFFECTS OTHER DEPARTMENTS THE FOREIGN OFFICE, BUT I SHALL HAVE TO TALK ΤΟ OTHERS HOME.
TOM MCMULLAN: HAVE YOU ANY CONCERN, OR NOT?
AS WELL AS WHEN I GET
LORD GLENARTHUR: WELL, THERE ARE PLENTY OF THINGS IN LIFE WHICH GIVE ONE CONCERN, BUT WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT IS A MATTER WHICH I CAN'T SAY ANY MORE ABOUT NOW,
DAVID SCHLESINGER (REUTERS): 1 WOULD LIKE TO JUST CONTINUE WITH THIS. YOU STRESSED THAT BRITAIN AND PORTUGAL HAVE DIFFERENT HISTORIES BUT THE POINT IS THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE, AND ESPECIALLY AFTER 1992 INAUDIBLE) FALLING ALL OVER EUROPE: ISN'T IT RATHER STRANGE FROM THE BRITISH POINT OF VIEW THAT PEOPLE IN MACAU HAVE SUCH DIFFERENT RIGHTS IN EUROPE AS PEOPLE IN HONG KONG?
SHOULD
LORD GLENARTHUR: WELL AT FACE VALUE THAT MAY APPEAR TO BE
THE
CASE.
/DAVID SCHLESINGER: