TNAG-0660-FCO40-809-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1977 — Page 13

CONFIDENTIAL

major factor will be the retention, or not, of the term and status of British subject which qualifies those entitled to many civic privileges. Decisions in this field will be of major political importance in the United Kingdom and it would be unwise to offer advice as to what decisions

will be reached. No inference can be drawn from the Green Paper about future changes, if any, in civic privileges.

5.

Paragraph 68 - Query

Are we right in assuming that such persons would not in future gain the right of entry to Hong Kong simply because they become British overseas citizens. Answer

The traditional arrangement suggested for British overseas citizenship cover the CUKCs and BPPs you mention but do not extend to British subjects without citizenship. We would expect thoseCUKCs who derive their present status from their connection with an existing dependency to have, as British overseas citizens, a right of entry to that dependency, but we would not expect other CUKCs to gair a right of entry solely because they become British overseas citizens.

6.

Paragraph 71 to 74 - Query

a. Is it envisaged that dependencies would formulate

their own rules for the acquisition/transmission of British overseas citizen status, or will the United Kingdom prescribe a common set of basic rules applicable to all.

Answer

This has not been carefully thought through but it is envisaged that the common set of rules for the acquisition and loss of British overseas citizenship would apply for all dependent territories. However, if the Hong Kong Governmen wished to put forward views on adjustments to the common rules outlined in the Green Paper, or to propose that provisions should be made for the permanent (as distinct from transitional) arrangements to be open to variation for individual territories, those views will be carefully

3. CONFIDENTIAL

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