TNAG-0902-FCO40-1112-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1979 — Page 40

gistry

URITY CLASSIFICATION

CONFIDENTIAL

DRAFT LETTER

To:-

Top Secret,

Secret.

Confidential.

Restricted.

Unclassified.

'ACY MARKING

DHJ Hilary Esq Under-Secretary Home Office

Lunar House

40 Wellesley Road CROYDON

CR9 2BY

In Confidence

Type 1 +

From

Mr Figg

Telephone No. Ext.

Department

DSR 11

NATIONALITY BILL

1. As you know, Donald Murray discussed the outstanding

questions of the number of citizenships and nomenclature

for them during his recent visit to Hong Kong. The

Governor maintained very strongly his view that there

should be a separate category of citizenship for residents

of Dependent Territories, and that the present title -

Citizen of the UK and Colonies should be retained.

However, he undertook to take some informal soundings

among the Unofficial Members of the Executive and

Legislative Councils.

2.

Sir Murray MacLehose has now informed us of the

results of these soundings. They can be summarised as

follows: firstly, he has confirmed that the Unofficial

Members all attach great weight to securing a separate

citizenship category for residents of dependencies.

They regard this as more important than the actual

nomenclature.

The titles considered to be acceptable are

(in order of preference):-

3.

1) Citizen of the UK and Colonies (ie no change)

2) Citizen of the Uk and Colonies (Hong Kong

3) British Citizen (Hong Kong)

4) British (Hong Kong) Citizen.

The Governor reported a strong preference for (1) or,

CONFIDENTIAL

Dd 0532000 800M 5/78 HMSO Bracknell

AL PRODUS