TNAG-0980-FCO40-1199-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1980 — Page 201

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GRS 1026

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

HKK 340

RECEIVED ALREDEDO 50, 51

29 JUL 1980

DESK OFFICER INDEX

PA

(88)

A.

FIT FCO 251130Z JUL 80

TO PRIORITY CERTAIN MISSIONS AND DEPENDENT TERRITORIES

GUIDANCE TELEGRAM NUMBER 81 OF 25 JULY 1980

WHITE PAPER ON NATIONALITY

1. A WHITE PAPER OUTLINING THE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS FOR A

NEW NATIONALITY LAW WILL BE PUBLISHED ON 30 JULY. ADVANCE

PREPROOF COPIES HAVE BEEN SENT TO CERTAIN POSTS. THE HOME

SECRETARY'S STATEMENT IN THE HOUSE ON THE DAY OF PUBLICATION

WILL BE SENT TO YOU IN THE VERBATIM SERVICE WITH ANY SIGNIFICANT

SUPPLEMENTARIES. THE MAIN PROPOSALS ARE DESCRIBED IN PARAS

3, 4, 5 AND 6 BELOW.

LINE TO TAKE

2.

WE DO NOT WISH TO STIMULATE MEDIA INTEREST BUT IF QUESTIONED

YOU SHOULD DRAW ON PARAS 7, 8 AND 9 AND, IF PRESSED, 10 AND 11

BELOW AFTER PUBLICATION OF THE WHITE PAPER. SEPARATE INSTRUCTIONS

HAVE BEEN SENT TO HEADS OF CHANCERY IN COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES

AND HEADS OF CAREER CONSULAR POSTS/SECTIONS IN ALL COUNTRIES.

MAIN PROPOSALS

3. IT HAS LONG BEEN RECOGNISED THAT THE BRITISH NATIONALITY ACT

OF 1948 (WHICH PRESCRIBES A UNITARY FORM OF CITIZENSHIP

'CITIZENSHIP OF THE UK AND COLONIES

-

CUKC') IS NOW OUT OF DATE.

IT IS UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTED IN THE UK THAT WE NEED A SEPARATE

CITIZENSHIP FOR THE UK WHICH WILL BE CONSISTENT WITH OUR

IMMIGRATION LAWS.

4.

THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSE THAT THIS WILL BE CALLED BRITISH

CITIZENSHIP. ON ENTRY INTO FORCE OF THE NEW LAW THIS CITIZENSHIP

WILL BE ACQUIRED, GENERALLY SPEAKING, BY THOSE CUKCS WHO WERE BORN, ADOPTED, NATURALISED OR REGISTERED IN THE UK, OR WHOSE

PARENTS OR GRANDPARENTS WERE SO BORN ETC. SO IT INCLUDES

/IMMIGRANTS

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CONFIDENTIAL