TNAG-0374-FCO40-420-Discussions-with-Sir-Murray-MacLehose--Governor-of-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 105

3.

We have taken this matter up with the Home

Office through correspondence between Mr Royle

and Mr David Lane. The Home Office, however,

have refused to consider extending the validity

of entry certificates beyond 12 months. They are

afraid that a concession to Hong Kong would serve

as a precedent for other parts of the Commonwealth

With the present state of public concern about

immigration it will be difficult to shift the

However, after

Home Office from this position.

receipt of Mr Lane's letter of 6 June, Mr Royle

directed that another approach should be made to

the Home Office in six months' time. While

adamant on the main issue, the Home Office have

agreed that 12 month entry certificates (known

as "Visitor B" entry certificates) can be issued

to members of the Executive and Legislative

Councils in Hong Kong on the authority of the

Secretary for Security even although they are not

eligible for such certificates as businessmen;

that wider use could probably be made of

Visitor B entry certificates for businessmen; and

in principle to consider the possibility of

extending the issue of Visitor B entry

certificates to persons other than members of

the Executive and Legislative Councils and

businessmen. We await proposals from Hong Kong

on the implications of such an extension.

/4.

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