XN000022-1986-06-17 — Page 2

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TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 1986

FUNDS SOUGHT FOR NEW ID CARD SCHEME

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THE FINANCE COMMITTEE WILL TOMORROW (WEDNESDAY) CONSIDER THE FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF A PROPOSED SCHEME TO ISSUE NEW FORMS OF IDENTITY CARDS TO ALL HOLDERS.

THE SCHEME IS ESTIMATED TO COST SOME $563 MILLION IN

IF APPROVED, THE NEW RECURRENT AND NON-RECURRENT EXPENDITURE. CARDS WILL BE ISSUED WITH EFFECT FROM JULY 1, 1987 AND THE WHOLE EXERCISE WILL BE COMPLETED IN DECEMBER, 1991.

SOME 4.8 MILLION PEOPLE WILL BE ISSUED WITH NEW IDENTITY CARDS UNDER THE SCHEME.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY THAT THE UNITED KINGDOM MEMORANDUM ASSOCIATED WITH THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG PROVIDED THAT PERSONS WHO ON JUNE 30, 1997 WERE BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS BY VIRTUE OF A CONNECTION WITH HONG KONG WOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO RETAIN AN APPROPRIATE STATUS WHICH WOULD ENTITLE THEM TO CONTINUE TO USE PASSPORTS ISSUED BY THE UK GOVERNMENT.

+THE HONG KONG ACT 1985 PROVIDES THAT THE APPROPRIATE STATUS SHALL BE A NEW FORM OF BRITISH NATIONALITY, THE HOLDERS OF WHICH SHALL BE KNOWN AS BRITISH NATIONALS (OVERSEAS) (BN(0)},+ HE SAID.

THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO ISSUE BRITISH PASSPORTS OF TEN-YEAR VALIDITY, THE UK GOVERNMENT WOULD START ISSUING BN(0) PASSPORTS WITH EFFECT FROM JULY 1, 1987.

+ TO ENSURE THAT BN(0) PASSPORTS ARE ACCEPTABLE FOR THE PURPOSE OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL BEFORE AND AFTER 1997, IT WILL BE NECESSARY FOR THEM TO STATE CLEARLY WHERE THEIR HOLDERS HAVE THE RIGHT OF ABODE.

+TO ACHIEVE THIS, IT HAS BEEN AGREED BETWEEN THE UK AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS THAT THE BN (0) PASSPORT WILL INDICATE CLEARLY THE HOLDER'S RIGHT OF ABODE BY REFERENCE TO THE HOLDER'S IDENTITY CARD WHICH WILL STATE HIS RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG.

+TO IMPLEMENT THIS ARRANGEMENT, IT IS NECESSARY FOR THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO START ISSUING FROM JULY 1. 1987 TO PERSONS WHO HAVE THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG À NEW FORM OF PERMANENT IDENTITY CARD WHICH STATES THAT RIGHT, HE SAID.

ALSO TO BE DISCUSSED AT TOMORROW'S MEETING IS A PROPOSAL TO INCREASE THE SCOPE OF STAGE 11 OF THE PROJECT +FUTURE INCREASE OF WATER SUPPLY FROM CHINA+ TO INCLUDE A DUPLICATE SUBMARINE PIPELINE ACROSS TOLO CHANNEL, INCLUDING A PART OF THE ASSOCIATED LAND MAINS, ASSOCIATED CONSULTING ENGINEERS' FEES, AND SITE STAFF EXPENSE.

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