TNAG-0980-FCO40-1199-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1980 — Page 220

PS/Mr Blaker

миизнюк

76

CONFIDENTIAL COVERING SECRETRECEIVED IN PESKORY NO. 51

BRITISH NATIONALITY LAW

1.

1 8 JUL 1980

DESK OF CER

INDEX

Nol

PA

RSMR

21/7

REGISTRY Action Taken

Awz2/

When the Minister sees the Governor of Hong Kong on 14 July, (or at lunch with the Chief Clerk afterwards) the Governor may raise the question of nationality law on which he telegraphed AS

75) on 10 July Hong Kong telegram No 875, in response to our

telegram No 531.

B

-

74 2.

We will be replying to the Hong Kong telegram shortly. The following are the main points.

3. The first paragraph of the Hong Kong telegram deals with the transmission of citizenship to children born abroad of British citizens. The draft White Paper says that there will be provision for transmission of British citizenship where the parents are employed in specified jobs; but the details of this are yet to be worked out.

4. The second paragraph of the telegram asks us to bear in mind that the Executive Council meets on Tuesdays when considering the timetable for the publication of the White Paper. We shall have to tell Hong Kong politely that the timing will be affected by parliamentary and other considerations here and that the Home Secretary cannot adjust the publication of the White Paper to suit Hong Kong's requirements.

5.

The third paragraph of the telegram deals with the arrangements for the publication of the White Paper in Dependent Territories. Governors will shortly be sent copies of the draft White Paper. The Home Office have very reluctantly agreed that these may be given to local Ministers and Executive Councils in Dependent Territories 24 hours before publication. It will be up to the Hong Kong Government to arrange publication of the White Paper in the Territory with a translation as necessary. However, work cannot start on the translation until the White Paper has been published; a leak in Hong Kong, however unlikely, would be politically disastrous.

6.

The final paragraph of the telegram deals with the timetable after publication of the White Paper. All we know at present is that the Home Secretary has said he intends to present the Bill to Parliament in the next Parliamentary session.

11 July 1980

CC

Sir E Youde

Mr Jones NTD

бир

R D Clift

Hong Kong and General Department

* This is not public knowlege

CONFIDENTIAL COVERING SECRET