TNAG-0979-FCO40-1198-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1980 — Page 123

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5.

The Government line will presumably be that since the voucher scheme for settlement in the UK will be continued for East African Asian UKPH and we have suggested to the Home Office that British citizenship should be given to them after a period of residence in the

they are not being adversely affected by the new Act. As the

biggest problems now centre on those East African Asians now in India there may be an Indo-British aspect to the problem of presentation.

UK

6.

J

The recent Labour Party discussion paper may help the Government to present its case (assuming that the Home Office rule out a solution on the lines mentioned in that paper, which has many attractions, but may not be practicable). That paper would make full British Citizens

of the East African Asian UKPH and withdraw any form of British nationality from the rest.

presented It can be appropriate as showing no major differences between the two parties in long-term objectives. Labour would make the East African UKPH into British Citizens now, while

the Government would give them special vouchers and then make them

British Citizens. Labour would withdraw British citizenship from

virtually all other proposed British Overseas Citizens, while the Government would leave them with a form of British citizenship, albeit of limited usefulness, for the lifetime of those born before the Act.

Citizenship by Descent

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ment"

For

We have proposed to the Home Office a scheme for transmission of

citizenship by UK expatriate businessmen based on " relevant employ-

Under present nationality legislation there are provisions which include " relevant employment" among the qualifications for acquisition of citizenship by naturalisation or registration. this purpose "relevant employment" is defined as (a) Crown Service, or (b) service under an international organisation of which HMG in the UK is a member, or (c) service in the employment of a society, company or body of persons established in the UK. The Home Office propose a similar provision for the new legislation. Although this "relevant employment" provision gives a facility only for acquisi- tion of citizenship by the person himself who is in "relevant employment" it would be logical to assume that a person in such

employment who is already a citizen himself should be entitled to

special consideration in respect of transmission of citizenship to his

children born whilst he is in such employment. The definition of "relevant employment" can be adapted in any way we think appropriate.

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