TNAG-0903-FCO40-1113-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1979 — Page 106

00

NBERRA

HKK340|1

"

00 WELLINGTON

GRS 230

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO 081740Z AUG 79

TO IMMEDIATE CANBERRA

TELEGRAM NUMBER 337 OF 3 AUGUST

AND TO WELLINGTON OTTAWA

No

i

MY TELNO 385: CHANGES TO THE IMMIGRATION RULES.

1.

(56A

THE HOME OFFICE WOULD ALSO BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR OWN VIEW ON THE LIKELY REACTION OF PUBLIC OPINION LOCALLY IF THE CHANGE IN THE UK GRANDPARENT PROVISION WERE MADE.

2. IN CONSIDERING THIS YOU MAY LIKE TO KNOW THAT NO CHANGE IS EXPECTED FOR THE USUAL VISITORS THAT SHOULD CAUSE CONCERN LOCALLY. BUT THE CHANGES NECESSARY TO THE RULES TO IMPLEMENT THE GOVERNMENT'S MANIFESTO PROPOSALS, TOGETHER WITH OTHER MINOR CHANGES WHICH NEED TO BE MADE TO THE WORDING OF THE RULES TO REMOVE UNCERTAINTIES AND ATONALIES WHICH HAVE ARISEN IN PRACTICE, WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY BE PORTRAYED IN THE MEDIA AS A GENERAL TIGHTENING OF IMMIGRATION CONTROLS. CHANGES WHICH WOULD REQUIRE AMENDMENT TO THE IMMIGRATION ACT ITSELF ARE NOT AT PRESENT PROPOSED.

3.

MINISTERS HAVE SAID PUBLICLY THAT THEY WILL PE MAKING THE CHANGES TO THE IMMIGNATIO LULES 144 THE AUTUMII. THE PROCEDURE IS THAT THE CHANGES COME

TO FORCE

INMEDIATELY THEY ARE MADE, CUT THEY ARE LAID BEFORE THE HOUSE AND ARE SUBJECT TO THE NEGATIVE RESOLUTION PROCEDURE.

BY

on Taken

SMYRNER STIR ›

WE WOULD EXPECT THEM TO BE MADE AT THE END OF OCTOBER OR DURING THE FIRST HALF OF NOVEMBER. STRICTLY FOR YOUR OWN INFORMATION, MINISTERS MAY DECIDE TO PUBLISH THE PROPOSED RULES AS A WHITE PAPER EARLY IN OCTOBER AND TO HAVE A FULL DAY'S OR A HALF DAY'S DESATE ON THEM BEFORE THE RULES ARE ACTUALLY REVISED,

CARRINGTON

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