5
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1992
NOW, I KNOW THAT SOME MEMBERS FEEL THAT THESE ASSURANCES ARE NOT ENOUGH. THEY WANT FURTHER GUARANTEES OF THEIR SECURITY SHOULD EVENTS MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO REMAIN IN HONG KONG. MAY I REMIND MEMBERS, AS MR ARCULLI ALREADY HAS, THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAS REPEATEDLY GIVEN THE ASSURANCE THAT, IF ANY SOLELY BRITISH NATIONAL WITH NO CLAIM TO CHINESE NATIONALITY CAME UNDER SEVERE PRESSURE TO LEAVE HONG KONG, THE GOVERNMENT OF THE DAY WOULD CONSIDER WITH AND I QUOTE - "CONSIDERABLE AND PARTICULAR SYMPATHY THEIR CASE FOR ADMISSION TO THE UNITED KINGDOM", THAT ASSURANCE WAS REPEATED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS DURING PARLIAMENT'S CONSIDERATION OF THE NATIONALITY SCHEME.
I KNOW THAT SOME MEMBERS THOUGH ACCEPT THESE ASSURANCES BUT I BELIEVE THEM AND I BELIEVE THAT IT IS NECESSARY TO REITERATE THEM NOW. MANY MEMBERS HAVE MOSTLY FOCUSED ON DEMANDING FROM THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT FULL BRITISH NATIONALITY FOR THE ETHNIC MINORITIES. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A QUESTION FOR HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT. THE ONLY OTHER SIGNIFICANT
THIS NUMBER OF HONG KONG PEOPLE WHO WILL HAVE BEEN GIVEN ARE THOSE UNDER THE BRITISH NATIONALITY SCHEME. IT IS INDEED CLEAR FOR MANY COMMENTS THIS EVENING THAT SOME SORT OF PROVISION IS, OR SIMILAR TO,
THE BRITISH NATIONALITY SCHEME IS WHAT THE ETHNIC MINORITIES ARE REALLY AFTER HERE. HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT BELIEVES THAT, WITH THE AGREEMENT ON RIGHT OF ABODE CONTAINED IN THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE ASSURANCES COVERING STATELESSNESS AND THE POSITION OF SOLELY BRITISH NATIONALS FACED WITH PRESSURE TO LEAVE HONG KONG, IT HAS MADE FAIR PROVISION FOR THIS GROUP. MEMBERS OF THE MINORITY COMMUNITIES WHO MEET THE CRITERIA SET OUT IN THE SELECTION SCHEME ORDER 1990* ARE OF COURSE, ABLE TO APPLY FOR BRITISH CITIZENSHIP UNDER THE SCHEME IN THE SAME WAY AS OTHER HONG KONG RESIDENTS. INDEED, I AM SURE THAT MANY HAVE.
MR DEPUTY PRESIDENT, DOES BOTH WE IN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAVE FULLY AND ADEQUATELY CONSIDERED THE POSITION OF THE ETHNIC MINORITIES? I HAVE EVERY CONFIDENCE THAT THE JOINT DECLARATION REMAINS THE SUREST BASE FOR THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG AND I AM SATISFIED THAT WE HAVE TAKEN ADEQUATE MEASURES TO SAFEGUARD THE INTERESTS OF ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE TERRITORY. THE QUESTION OF BRITISH NATIONALITY IS, AS I HAVE SAID EARLIER, A MATTER FOR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WHICH HAS MADE ITS POSITION CLEAR. I MUST ADVISE THAT I CONSIDER IT UNLIKELY THAT FURTHER CONCESSIONS WILL BE FORTHCOMING. NEVERTHELESS, I RECOGNISE THE DEPTH OF CONCERN THAT UNDERLIES THE DESIRE TO KEEP TRYING.
NOTE : THE ORDER MAKES PROVISION FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO
FOR BRITISH CITIZENSHIP UNDER A COMPETITIVE POINTS BASED ON THE APPLICANT'S AGE, EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND FACTORS.
/6
APPLY SYSTEM
OTHER