TNAG-1081-FCO40-1331-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1981 — Page 138

CONFIDENTIAL

Reference

1.09

Mr W Jones NTD

RECEIVED IN REGISTEZ 10. 51

-9 MAR 981

19

NATIONALITY BILL: POSITION OF THE DEPENDENCIES OFFICER

INDEX

108

ميل

1.

PA

30,9

REGISTRY

ཀ***

Action Tuk

In you minute of 3 March, you ask for any ideas to hel3013 Ministers meet the Parliamentary lobby favouring discriminatory treatment of Gibraltar.

2. I regret that I have nothing specific to recommend. It seems that the question of Governmental concessions to meet Parliamentary pressure, whether over the 'administrative concession' of unrestricted entry to the UK, or on the substance of the Bill itself, is one which only Ministers can take.

༣.

The two most important decisions which HMG will take in the coming year affecting Gibraltar will be on aid policy (in the context of the new 3 year Development Programme), and perhaps on defence lands (if the Gibraltar Government think it worth making a case for a 'New Deal'). Both of these areas will have far more practical implications for Gibraltar than will the Nationality Bill; but the Development Programme has only just been presented to us, and the defence lands issue remains speculative.

4. Ministers already give Gibraltar and its leaders a great deal more attention than they do to other communities of 20,000 people. But although the Department would not recommend, for instance, a further Ministerial visit this year on normal criteria, Ministers might feel that a gesture of this sort might help in the Parliamentary context.

3 March 1981

cc: Mr Morrice PS/Mr Luce

HKGD

CODE 18-77

SS 8/78

CONFIDENTIAL

R JA Martin

Southern European Department