TNAG-0979-FCO40-1198-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1980 — Page 21

CONFIDENTIAL

Reference

$3

A SU

B & C

(9)

A

CODE 18-77

SS 8/78

Mr Bridgwood Mr Morrice

Mr Clift

0082.6 22%.

HICK 340/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 10 JUN 1980

DESK

INDEX

WHTTE PAPER ON NEW NATIONALITY LAWNO

RICER

PA

1166

REGISTRY Action Taken

Aw2016

1. Mr Morrice asked for comments on the latest draft of the White Paper on Nationality Law.

2. Taking Mr Clift's comments on the previous paper, the position is as follows:

Mr Clift's paragraph:

2.

3.

4.

5.

A statement on the effects on dependent territories is at paragraph 16 but it is a much watered down version of

Mr Clift's draft. It is in my view not nearly strong enough to meet the Governor's requirement and I cannot see what objection there can be to the stronger version. This may be a Home Office paper but this is a matter of FCO policy. Mr Clift's recommendation not accepted.

"Colonies" is used in paragraph 11 though dependent territories or dependencies are used elsewhere, viz. paragraphs 15, 16, 23, 35 and 96.

Mr Clift's recommendation has not been accepted though Mr Jones' has to some extent. The paper is still not green enough around

the edges.

6.

6.

6.

(a) and (b). Mr Clift's recommendation has not been accepted. (c): Mr Clift's recommendation has not been accepted, though this Annex now seems superfluous since all the dependencies are now listed in paragraph 96 and their total British popu- lation given in paragraph 97.

(d): Mr Clift's recommendation has not been accepted. 6. (e) and (f): Mr Clift's recommendation has been accepted.

3. The new draft has hardened up on the issue of nomenclature with three categories: British Citizenship, Citizenship of the British Dependent Territories and British Overseas Citizenship para- graphs 14-17. There is also what may be a new paragraph (we did not see the early section on Other Nationality Matters), paragraph 107, which seeks to explain why the title British Subject cannot be used.

2 June 1980

Zwickian

P J Williamson

Hong Kong and General Department

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