XN000022-1990-02-07 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7 1990

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COUNTRIES EXPECTED TO ACCEPT VALIDITY OF PASSPORT

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SO FAR NO COUNTRY HAS INDICATED THAT IT DOES NOT ACCEPT THE VALIDITY OF THE BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) PASSPORT, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON GEOFFREY BARNES, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON ΤΑΙ CHIN-WAH, MR BARNES SAID THE BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) PASSPORT WAS A BRITISH PASSPORT ISSUED BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

"AS SUCH WE EXPECT OTHER GOVERNMENTS TO ACCEPT IT AS A VALID TRAVEL DOCUMENT," HE SAID.

MR BARNES SAID THE ABSENCE OF A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT BY COUNTRIES OF ACCEPTANCE WAS NOT IN ITSELF SIGNIFICANT.

"NO COUNTRY HAS INDICATED TO EITHER THE HONG KONG OR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT THAT IT WOULD NOT RECOGNISE THE BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) PASSPORT," HE SAID.

MR TAI HAD ASKED WHETHER ALL THE COUNTRIES WHICH ACCEPTED THE VALIDITY OF THE BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORY CITIZEN PASSPORT HAD ALSO ACCEPTED THE VALIDITY OF THE BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) PASSPORT SINCE IT WAS FIRST ISSUED IN 1987.

PERIODIC REVIEWS OF BOARD, COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP

THE MEMBERSHIP OF ADVISORY BOARDS AND COMMITTEES IS REVIEWED PERIODICALLY TO ENSURE THAT EACH BOARD OR COMMITTEE FUNCTIONS IN THE MOST EFFECTIVE MANNER, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON SIR PIERS JACOBS, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

'IN THIS RESPECT, THE COMPOSITION OF THE TRADE ADVISORY BOARD WILL BE REVIEWED IN THE USUAL WAY WHEN THE CURRENT TERM OF ITS MEMBERS EXPIRES IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS YEAR, SIR PIERS SAID IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON JAMES MCGREGOR.

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MR MCGREGOR HAD ASKED IF THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONSIDER INVITING NOMINATED REPRESENTATIVES FROM MAJOR INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL ORGANISATIONS TO SIT ON THE TRADE ADVISORY BOARD AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT BOARD.

BOARD,

SIR PIERS SAID THAT AS REGARDS THE INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT HE HAD INFORMED MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL LAST NOVEMBER OF THE GOVERNMENT'S AIM TO MAKE MORE EFFECTIVE USE OF THIS BOARD.

/"THE MEMBERSHIP