COPY
Fixe
168.
10TA
UN
TION NO 38.
Mr Jones
C
UND
CONFIDENTIAL
Nationality & Treaty Department (CL537)
NATIONALITY WHITE PAPER
me
IN DEPENDENCIES
1.
HICK 34011
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 1
28 OCT 1980
DEAK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
PECISTRY
Action Taken
AW 38
SERVANTS
LOCALLY-ENGAGED CİV, 8.00
I attach a copy of a letter written on behalf of non- expatriate civil servants in Hong Kong to the Chief Secretary making the case for special treatment for them in the context of proposed n. ionality legislation. Their demand amounts to a request that the special arrangements for Crown Servants should be applied to them.
2.
This is obviously an extremely difficult request but the fact that it has been made does reflect one aspect of concern in Hong Kong at the nationality proposals and high- lights the special problems in that dependency.
the problem for the Hong Kong civil servants that the only likely change in the Territory's status is.. eventual absorption by China. The civil servants concerned. are worried in case they should suffer during such a change over unless they have some other hole to go to, ie the UK.
3. You will see that the letter refers to a meeting held in 1967 with Lord Shepherd, then Minister of State in the FCO, and makes some play with Lord Shepherd's assurance that if Hong Kong 'fell' the British Government would honour its obligations to all Hong Kong civil servants and pensioners without distinction. In fact it is clear from the record that Lord Shepherd was talking about pensions rather than about nationality status, right of entry to the UK, etc. Nevertheless, his remarks can be construed as a more general assurance by people who wished to interpret them in that way.
4. We will certainly be receiving another copy of this letter with Sir Jack Cater's comments and we should probably hold action until then. Meanwhile, you will wish to consider the implications from your point of view. So far as we are concerned, I realise that the non-expatriate civil servants are asking for the moon but we have got to consider very carefully how we reply without seriously shaking their confidence in the British Government's intentions.
5. This prompts me to ask how consideration is progressing on the general question of Crown Servants and its applicability to members of HMOCS (UK-based). I hope it will be possible to get a clear understanding soon that such people will be regarded in exactly the same way as members of the Diplomatic Service or of the Home Civil Service posted overseas.
24 October 1980
Blin
R D Clift
Hong Kong and General Department
CONFIDENTIAL
cc Mr Morrice/Mr Williamson
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