TNAG-0979-FCO40-1198-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1980 — Page 99

CONFIDENTIAL

Redrafted

'special voucher scheme under which they are able to come to this country. The essence of this scheme is, however, that the rate at which the United

Kingdom passport holders Come here can be controlled. To grant them British Citizenship, the effect of which would make them free from control, would

make this control completely ineffective.]

22. The Government propose therefore that when the new nationality law comes into operation the people who should become British Citizens are those Citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies who have that citizenship by their own, or their parents' or grandparents', birth, adoption, naturalisation or registration in the United Kingdom. In addition those Citizens of the

United Kingdom and Colonies from our colonies and former colonies who have

been settled here for some time should also become British Citizens.

provisions are set out in greater detail in paragraph 347.

The

t

23. It is worth emphasising that these proposals would affect only those people who, at the coming into force of the new legislation, are citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies. There are, of course, many citizens of

A

independent Commonwealth countries who are settled in the United Kingdom;

of fortyn but if they hold only their Commonwealth citizenship it would be contrary to international practice to confer British Citizenship on them: they are not our nationals, and many may not wish to become British Citizens since it might well mean that their own country would take its citizenship from them. The

fact that they cannot be given British Citizenship would not affect their position under the immigration law. Commonwealth citizens who at present have the right of abode in this country under the Immigration Act, would continue to enjoy that right for their lifetime.

Those

24. No one who is at present patrial (ie who enjoys the right of abode in this country under Section 2 of the Immigration Act 1971), would, as a result of the Government's proposals, lose that right.

25. We turn now to those Citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies whose who would not under these provisions acquire connections with the United Kingdom are not elese enough to qualify them for British Citizenship. These fall into two main groups: first those who are connected with existing colonies and the remaining Associated States in the

- 6-