TNAG-0901-FCO40-1111-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1979 — Page 163

THE FOLLOWING REFERENCE NUMBER

SHOULD BE QUOTED IN ANY REPLY

NO

I

9/128

D Dale Esq WIAD

FCO

Dear Davad

WOW THE ****

CAYMAN ISLANDS

Cop

ка вохати ножо

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

GRAND CAYMAN

CAYMAN ISLANDS

15 December

8

.197..

Offiel

Min Mole

Him

GNN34013

29 DEC 1978

AY

1.

GREEN PAPER ON NATIONALITY

LAW (YOUR REFERENCE GNN 340/14)

Although the provisions of the Paper were given publicity so far there have been few comments upon it or representations.

2.

In the Green Paper any views were to be sent to the Home Office, Nationality Division, (AH Room 1606) Immigration and Nationality Department 40 Willesly Road, Croydon CR9 2BY. But in other correspondence FCO posts were requested to forward any such opinions received to you.

3.

}

The only written submission received is from W S Walker, head of a local firm of solicitors who presents the views of a number of expatriates afing in the Cayman Islands including his wife and himself and, three others. He writes,

1.

"We question the need for the Law at all. The British Empire is almost now completely dismembered and most of the few remaining dependent territories will gain independence within the foreseeable future. This will result in a considerable number of the few remaining citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies becoming citizens of a new Commonwealth country. The small number of remaining dependent territories (such as the Cayman Islands) will almost certainly be small with small populations and the number of United Kingdom and Colonies citizens living outside of the United Kingdom should soon become negligible and pose no problem, immigration or otherwise, to the United Kingdom. Because of this we query the necessity for this Law at all.

2.

If the British Government are determined however that such a Law is necessary we would like to raise two specific points: -

a) Citizenship by descent

There are still a number of United Kingdom citizens living and working abroad for varying lengths of time. We feel that it is in the commercial interest of Britain that obstacles should not be put in their way and accordingly that children of United Kingdom citizens born abroad be entitled to United Kingdom citizenship. It is probably not possible to have this continue indefinitely (as we believe is the case of Swiss citizenship) we strongly feel that citizenship by descent should be permitted for a number of

While

PARO!