TNAG-1081-FCO40-1331-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1981 — Page 59

CONFIDENTIAL

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by registration rather than by naturalisation, as is

proposed in the Bill (1 at Annex C);

b) an amendment to allow Crown Servants in Hong Kong to be

naturalised at the Home Secretary's discretion on the

understanding that this device would be used sparingly

if at all. The Home Office envisage, however, its

presentation in terms of the rare case of an exceptional

Crown Servant of whatever dependency, rather than as a

provision that would benefit all the people at risk in

Hong Kong. The Home Secretary would be alarmed at the

prospect of anything like as many as 10,000 (a figure

quoted by Hong Kong) being covered by this. The Home

Office are convinced that any amendment on these lines

will face the most detailed enquiry in Committee.

will, therefore, be unable to avoid giving a credible

explanation of their intentions (5 at Annex C);

Ministers

c) in respect of (b) above, Crown Service to count towards

the qualifying period for naturalisation/registration

after entry into the UK (5 at Annex C).

Separate Citizenship for Dependent Territories

7.

7.

FCO Ministers decided on 26 February that there should be

one citizenship for Dependent Territories but that they should

pursue the idea of provision for them to have separate citizenship

in the future if they wished. This would need to be presented in

such a way as not to arouse Peking's suspicions,

CONFIDENTIAL

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