Question: I would like to express my concern today over the lack of progress being made in the pursuit of British citizenship for Hong Kong's ethnic minorities. Following my question to you after your Policy Speech last year you confirmed to me that we have the unqualified support of all government departments in pursuing our cause. However, it has been over six months since we made an initial request to the Government to give us information on the exact number of affected people and we have not heard anything in regard to this. I don't think it is unreasonable to say six months is a very long time, especially given our tight time frame.
Our supporters in the UK and Hong Kong continue to press us on this all important number. The lack of this information is preventing further constructive lobbying being made in the UK. This is a very serious problem for us at a very desperate time and I wanted to know what you have to say about that?
Governor: First of all let me say something about the number, and secondly let me say something about the progress that may or may not have been made. First of all we have been working out as accurate a number as possible. We now think we have got that. It is not terribly straightforward but we think we have got the figures about right and we are very happy to discuss those over the coming weeks with the Legislative Council. In fact, in overall terms we think we are talking about 8,000 people or thereabouts of whom probably a half or just under are from the South Asian sub- continent.
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Secondly, on the progress and I am not sure that the progress, frankly, is closely attached to the precise number on the progress, while things have not moved as far as you would understandably have wished we have seen over the last year significant movements on two fronts. First of all we have seen the Prime Minister here earlier this year taking the pledge which British Government have made about the position of ethnic minorities several steps further down the road. Not nearly as far as you would like to go, not as far as the Hong Kong Government has pressed, but nevertheless progress.
Secondly, when Mr Robin Cook, the Shadow Foreign Secretary was here, he made really rather a significant commitment, I thought. He said that any ethnic minority who wished to go to the United Kingdom after 1997 would be able to do so, would be able to have right of abode. And if you have right of abode you earn a passport by the length of time you stay in a country.
Now, both those fall short of your desire for a straightforward pledge to a passport here in Hong Kong, but they are nevertheless considerable movements from the main political parties in the UK, and I think that reflects the pressure that you have brought to bear on MPs at Westminster, the pressure that you have brought to bear on visiting ministers, and the moral strength of your argument.