TNAG-1081-FCO40-1331-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1981 — Page 215

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SECRET

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8. The Governor believes that some amendment to the Nationality

Bill to cover Hong Kong's problems is very important. He is

reluctant for undertakings to Hong Kong to be qualified by too

specific references to changes in the status of the Territory since

this might imply that Her Majesty's Government was preparing for a sell-

out.

It will, however, be difficult to persuade the Home Office

to make any amendments which appear to open a back door to the

acquisition of British Citizenship even to limited numbers of

officials and Unofficials.

In trying to meet the Governor's

desiderata we face the natural resistance of the Home Office to

major changes in the Bill. Moreover, the FCO and Home Office cannot

indefinitely engage in an inter-departmental struggle. A joint

government view must be found and FCO Ministers will have to join

with their Home Office colleagues in defending amendments against

critics from a number of quarters. There is already a very large

number of amendments to the Bill for consideration in Committee and

a number of rival lobbies including that of Gibraltar.

78A) 9.

The Home Secretary makes clear in his minute of 16 February that

the aspect which worries him most is the likely number of those who

would apply for naturalisation. He was struck during his talk with

the Unofficials by their description of the total number of Crown

Servants in Hong Kong and is very reluctant to enter into a 'massive

potential immigration commitment'. This means that, while we must

explain the Governor's concerns fully, including the problems of

Citizens of the British Dependent Territories in general, we must at

the same time reassure the Home Office that the numbers can be

limited.

SECRET

/10.