TNAG-0903-FCO40-1113-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1979 — Page 48

GR1500

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY 14023OZ DELHI, ISLAMABAD, DACCA.

FFCO 131627Z NOV 79

TO IMMEDIATE NEW DELHI

TELEGRAM NUMBER 736 OF 13 NOVEMBER

143

P.A..

HKK 341 KLJIVED IN RESITRY NO. 51

15 NOV 1979

AND TO IMMEDIATE ISLAMABAD, DACCA, CANBERRA, WELLINGTON,

O

NAIROBI, WASHINGTON, BIS NEW YORK, OTTAWA, KINGSTON, PORT OF SPAIN BRIDGETOWN, GEORGETOWN, HONG KONG.

REVISED IMMIGRATION RULES.

YOU MAY FIND USEFUL IN ANSWERING QUERIESTHE FOLLOWING

NOTES WHICH ARE BASED ON NOTES FOR SUPPLEMENTARIES PREPARED FOR THE HOME SECRETARY.

SEX DISCRIMINATION

(1) MANIFESTO

THE CONSERVATIVE MANIFESTO SAID THAT THE RIGHTS OF ALL BRITISH CITIZENS LEGALLY SETTLED HERE ARE EQUAL BEFORE THE LAW WHATEVER THEIR RACE, COLOUR OR CREED. BUT IT WAS ALSO MADE QUITE PLAIN IN THE MANIFESTO THAT THERE WOULD BE CHANGES IN THE LAW GOVERNING THE ENTRY OF HUSBANDS AND MALE FIANCES AND IT MUST HAVE BEEN PLAIN THAT THIS INEVITABLY MEANT SOME DIFFERENCE IN TREATMENT AS REGARDS THE RIGHT OF A WOMAN TO BE JOINED HERE BY HER HUSBAND OR FIANCES. THIS IS THE PRICE WE HAVE TO PAY TO CURB THE ABUSE.

(11) SEX DISCRIMINATION ACT 1975

THE IMMIGRATION RULES ARE NOT COVERED BY THE SEX DISCRIMINATION ACT 1975 AND SO CANNOT BE IN BREACH OF IT.

(111) EQUAL TREATMENT OF WOMEN

WOMEN SETTLED IN THIS COUNTRY BUT NOT BORN HERE WILL BE AT A DISADVANTAGE IN THEIR ABILITY TO BRING IN THEIR HUSBANDS AND FIANCES. EQUALLY, HOWEVER, WOMEN OVERSEAS ARE BETTER PLACED WHEN IT COMES TO BEING ABLE TO JOIN THEIR HUSBANDS IN THIS

COUNTRY.

:

IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE TO APPLY THE SAME RESTRICTIONS TO MEN SETTLED HERE BECAUSE OF OUR NATIONALITY AND PATRIALITY LEGISLATION. COMMONWEALTH WIVES OF PATRIAL CITIZENS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AND COLONIES ARE THEMSELVES PATRIAL (1.E. HAVE THE RIGHT OF ABODE):

CONFIDENTIAL.

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