TNAG-0901-FCO40-1111-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1979 — Page 65

CONFIDENTIAL

A Summary of the representations received is attached.

They have been brought to the attention of the Home Office

from time to time, but Home Office officials have con-

tinued to work within the guidelines laid down in the

Green Paper.

Since 1971, British passport holders resident in

the Dependent Territories have had no automatic right

of entry to the UK. The Dependent Territories accept

that there is no realistic prospect of restoring the

pre-1971 position. Rights of access are therefore not at

issue. The proposed change is purely one of nomenclature.

The difficulties outlined in paragraph above would

however be greatly eased (without any consequences for

immigration control in the UK) if the existing CUKC's

were divided into three categories instead of two:-

(i) British Citizens (those with the right of abode

in the UK);

(ii) Citizens of the UK and Colonies (those with the

right of abode in Dependent Territory);

(iii) British Overseas Citizens (the remainder).

The retention of the title "Citizens of the UK and

Colonies" for those in the second category would be

particularly helpful in Hong Kong, where a change of

nomenclature would be interpreted as aimed at Hong Kong

(because the great majority of British passport holders

overseas live there) and intended to distance the UK from

its commitments to Hong Kong.

CONFIDENTIAL

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