TNAG-0902-FCO40-1112-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1979 — Page 22

CONFIDENTIAL

DSR 11C

ufficient in itself. By no means certain that parents

would be free to take up residence for a number of

years with their child in the UK during his minority

without unreasonable interference with their careers.

In any event there would in many cases be a period of

some years after the child's birth before parents could

do this during which absence of citizenship and UK

passport for the child could be a problem.

(c) Automatic transmission of British citizenship to the

second generation born in existing dependencies if

there is a British citizen father or mother and a UK

born grandfather.

Comment. This is equivalent to effect of present

nationality/immigration position. Even if transmission

is restricted to first generation in foreign and

Commonwealth countries it is arguable that birth in

Crown territory of second generation should be enough

to transmit UK citizenship.

In addition to (a), (b) and (c) one of the following:

(d) Automatic transmission to the second generation born

overseas if there is a UK-born grandparent and a

British citizen father or mother.

Comment. Would create many more British citizens than

now with a right of abode in the UK. Would possibly be

criticised as racist by allowing transmission to second

generation for UK-born families and not even to first

-generation for Commonwealth immigrants who have

acquired citizenship by registration. (Home Office proposal would not be free from this criticism.) Defence

would be that to secure citizenship by registration

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