TNAG-0979-FCO40-1198-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1980 — Page 137

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understand the

in

(a) Ministers recommendations concerni Hong Kong and will

endeavour to give appropriate assurances that the new

(b)

(c)

nationality structure does not indicate or presage

a different attitude to the colonies by the UK;

but it is not possible, for the reasons stated in the

telegram to retain the present title " Citizen of the

UK and Colonies" in the new legislation; and

FCO Ministers will, however, re-open the possibility

of retaining the status "British Subject" to link the

for Colonial beloyers citizens in which the present

three categories

CUKCS would be divided, despite tacit agreement that

has already been given to abandoning the title by the

FCO and the Home and Social Affairs Committee.

BACKGROUND AND ARGUMENT

3. There are three principal groups of citizens who now

hold the unitary "Citizenship of the United Kingdom and

Colonies"

(CUKC):

a)

UK belongers

they are those CUKCS who are patrial

under our Immigration Act and so have the right of abode

in the UK;

}

The Governor of

has indicated Hong Kong

telegram broad lines crafted, fine from

that a

on the

the Secretary of Stake dont agreed, would present the options Ifairly to his adviders.

b)

Colonial belongers

―

they acquired their CUKC status by

virtue of birth in an existing colony or descent from

such a person, and they generally have the right of abode

in that colony (but not in the UK);

c) Non-belongers

-

they do not have the right of abode in

the UK or an existing colony; in the main they acquired

their CUKC status from a connection with a former UK

dependency which is now independent, e.g. Kenya, Malaysia.

The 1977 Green Paper on citizenship and the first draft of

the new legislation proposed a 2-category scheme of citizenship

British Citizens (UK belongers) and British Overseas

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/Citizens

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