TNAG-1026-FCO40-1276-Visit-by-Lord-Carrington--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-1981 — Page 83

CONFIDENTIAL

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however, practical difficulties in the resettlement programme

as regards housing and employment in the United Kingdom. The

question of a further quota will soon have to be considered, but

will meet with much resistance, especially from the Home Office

and No 10.

NATIONALITY BILL

4. The Hong Kong Government, and particularly the Unofficial

Members of the Executive and Legislative Councils, have been

concerned, since the publication of the original Green Paper,

about the effect of the proposed Nationality Bill on Hong Kong.

The Bill has been interpreted in Hong Kong as an attempt to distance

the United Kingdom from Hong Kong and evade the United Kingdom's

responsibility for its population.

5.

Amendments have been tabled that will permit the registration

of Citizens of British Dependent Territories (CBDTs) who have

had 5 years' legal residence in the United Kingdom as British

Citizens, and will permit the Home Secretary to register as a

British Citizen a person a who has been in Crown Service under the

Government of a Dependent Territory or who has been appointed by

or on behalf of the Crown to certain forms of service in a dependency.

These amendments go some way to allaying Hong Kong's fears.

Nomenclature, however, remains a problem. Unofficials have put a

case for using the titles 'British Subject: CBDT (Hong Kong)' or

'British National (Hong Kong Citizen)'. Neither is possible as

they offend against the spirit of the Bill. The Secretary of

State discussed this with Unofficials during his visit.

CONFIDENTIAL

/THE MACLENNAN AFFAIR