TNAG-1080-FCO40-1330-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1981 — Page 39

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NOTE OF A MEETING HELD ON 6 FEBRUARIE

BRITISH NATIONALITY BILL:

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RECEIVES

DISCUSSI

THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCT

Present:

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Home Secretary

Mr. Raison

Mr. Sims

Mr. Hilary

Mr. Boys Smith

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34011 SEY NO. 51

* 1 FEB 1981

JONG KONG Taken

Paul Bryall,

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Sir S. Y. Chung

Mr. O. Cheung

Mr. Ford

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The Home Secretary welcomed the delegation.

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Clucy Clark

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He told them

that he had heard from the Foreign & Commonwealth Secretary in the light of the meeting they had had with him on 2 February.3

2.

Sir S. Y. Chung said that he and his colleagues wished to express their concern about certain aspects of the British Nationality Bill. Similar concern had been expressed earlier about the Green and White Papers. They did not seek specific answers at the present meeting.

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3. They appreciated that the Government had made it clear HKK30)

that the way in which the United Kingdom's circumstances had

changed since 1948 made legislation necessary. But neither the 1982

constitution of Hong Kong nor the Colony's links with the United Kingdom had changed in that period. Moreover, because Hong Kong citizens did not have a right of abode in the United Kingdom changes in citizenship law were not necessary to protect the United Kingdom from future immigration. Hong Kong was in a special position. Other colonies could either remain under British rule or become independent. But Hong Kong had the choice

The

only between rule by the United Kingdom or by the Chinese. future of the Colony must remain uncertain: it might be, for example, that there would be renewed pressures at some stage of the kind experienced in 1967. Many people were in Hong Kong expressly to avoid falling under the jurisdiction of the Chinese Government.

4.

Against this background Hong Kong was grateful to the Government for introducing the category of citizenship of the British Dependent Territories, which they recognised was an advance on the earlier proposals. They appreciated, too, that the refer- ence in the Home Secretary's speech in the Second Reading debate on the Bill (Col.932) was not intended to mean that the creation of this citizenship was a purely cosmetic exercise. They were glad to see the reference in paragraph 16 of the White Paper that the creation of citizenship of the BDT did not alter the relation-- ship between the United Kingdom and those territories, or the Government's obligations and commitments to the territories and their citizens. Sir S. Y. Chung and Mr. O. Cheung wished, however, to raise a number of specific points.

HONG KONG CROWN SERVANTS

5.

Should there be pressure on Hong Kong at some stage in the future it would be essential to preserve the loyalty of the Crown servants if the good government of the Colony was to continue. They believed that unless special provision was made for Crown

1.

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171