XN000022-1988-11-16 — Page 53

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1988

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UK GOVT TO BE INFORMED

POINTS RAISED BY MEMBERS ON THE SUBJECT OF GRANTING OF RIGHT OF ABODE IN THE UK TO THE WIVES AND WIDOWS OF HONG KONG EX-SERVICEMEN WILL BE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT.

THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON GEOFFREY BARNES, SAID THIS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY), DURING THE POLICY DEBATE.

THE

HE SAID HE COULD UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEMS FACED BY WIDOWS IN ACQUISITION OF

BRITISH CITIZENSHIP, AND FOR SOME WIVES IN

FULFILLING THE RESIDENCE REQUIREMENT.

"I MUST HOWEVER CAUTION THAT, IF WHAT IS BEING SOUGHT INVOLVES, AS IT WOULD APPEAR TO DO, AMENDMENTS TO THE BRITISH NATIONALITY ACT 1981, IT WOULD BE NO SMALL UNDERTAKING, EVEN FOR A LIMITED GROUP OF PEOPLE, BECAUSE OF THE PROVISIONS OF THAT LEGISLATION ARE CLOSELY INTERLINKED, AND TO SEEK TO CHANGE ONE PART COULD HAVE RAMIFICATIONS FOR OTHER AREAS, HE SAID.

"BUT WE SHALL CERTAINLY LOOK INTO THIS AND SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE TO ASSIST THIS PARTICULAR GROUP OF PERSONS.'

**

PROPOSAL ON FOREIGN LAW FIRMS IN STEP WITH TRENDS

* *

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON JEREMY MATHEWS, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSAL ON FOREIGN LAW FIRMS WAS IN STEP WITH THE TRENDS IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS.

SPEAKING IN THE RESUMED POLICY DEBATE, MR MATHEWS IS GROWING INTERNATIONAL INTEREST IN THE INTEGRATION OF FOREIGN LAWYERS IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS IN ORDER MULTINATIONAL ADVICE WITHIN A SINGLE FIRM.

SAID: "THERE DOMESTIC AND TO PROVIDE

PERMITTED IN.

"TO VARYING DEGREES SUCH INTEGRATION IS ALREADY BELGIUM, WEST GERMANY, ITALY, AND THE NETHERLANDS, AS WELL AS CALIFORNIA, NEW YORK, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND NEW SOUTH WALES."

THEREFORE THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSAL ON FOREIGN LAW FIRMS DEMONSTRATES THAT HONG KONG IS IN STEP WITH DEVELOPING INTERNATIONAL TRENDS, MR MATHEWS SAID.

/"THE AIM