TNAG-0979-FCO40-1198-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1980 — Page 85

PS/LPS

CONFIDENTIAL

HKK340/1

** NO. 51.

ec Mr Murray

ес

46

Sent 29/4

2 APR 780 Jul & bu to Cift

OFFICER

INDEX

PA

REGISTRY Action Takel

NEW NATIONALITY LAW No

Aws

R-STR $5

A 29/1

1. You will have seen from the PS's minute to me of 21 April that the Secretary of State would like the Lord Privy Seal to discuss with the Home Secretary the question of 'colonial' citizenship and nomenclature on which we have been unable to reach agreement at official level with the Home Office. The Secretary of State has agreed with the FCO line proposed in the submission attached.

2.

I had held these papers because it seemed last week that we might wish to recommend that FCO Ministers should oppose two other aspects of the proposed new nationality legislation on which the Home Office had proposed late changes. I am glad to say that these differences have now been substantially resolved.

3. We have told the Home Office at official level that we assume that the Home Secretary will take the initiative in proposing a date for this meeting. Home Office officials see it this way too. The Home Secretary's objective is to reach agreement with the FCO on the substantive points of a new nationality law before submitting the White Paper on it (the first draft of it is now being finalised) to the Home and Social Affairs Committee.

4. The Home Secretary may seek a meeting towards the end of this week. NTD are preparing a short summary of the principal other provisions of the new legislation for the LPS to see before the meeting. This may help to set in perspective the differences with the Home Office on the position of the Colonies - to which we attach great importance.

5. It may also be useful for the LPS to have a short oral briefing when he has read the submission. The Head of Hong Kong Department also could attend it because this issue is of considerable importance in relation to Hong Kong in particular.

29 April 1980

cc (without enclosure):

PS/Mr Luce PS/PUS

Head of HKGD

CONFIDENTIAL

W J Adams