TNAG-1082-FCO40-1332-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1981 — Page 6

UNCLASSIFIED

4703-

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AND PARTICULARLY THE AVOIDANCE OF THE FEELING THAT THE

PROVISIONS OF THE BILL ARE DIRECTED AGAINST THE

DEPENDENCIES. AS ONE HON. MEMBER PUT IT THE EFFECT ON

MORALE IS CONSIDERABLE. THESE QUESTIONS CAN CAUSE

CONSIDERABLE ANXIETIES WHEN THE DEPENDENCIES ARE UNDER THE

IMPRESSION HOWEVER MISCONCEIVED THAT THE BILL WEAKENS

6.

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THEIR LINKS WITH THE UK. FOR AS WE HAVE MADE CLEAR THIS

BILL IN NO WAY ALTERS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THOSE

TERRITORIES AND THE UK NOR OUR OBLIGATIONS AND COMMITMENTS

TO THE DEPENDENCIES.'

MR LUCE DEALT IN GENERAL TERMS WITH THE NUMBERS AFFECTED BY

THE CROWN SERVICE PROVISION. (THE TOTAL IN THE DEPENDENT

TERRITORIES WAS ABOUT 150,000). IT WOULD BE APPLIED SPARINGLY

AND INDIVIDUAL CASES WOULD BE JUDGED ON MERIT. HOWEVER, THE

CLAUSE RECOGNISED THAT THERE COULD BE CASES OF PERSONS SERVING

THE CROWN OVERSEAS WHO BY DINT OF THEIR PARTICULAR CROWN SERVICE AND İN OTHER PERSONAL WAYS HAD BECOME SO CLOSELY CONNECTED WITH

THE UK THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT THEY SHOULD BE GIVEN BRITISH

CITIZENSHIP. IT WAS WRONG THAT THEY SHOULD BE EXCLUDED AS HAD

BEEN THE CASE ORIGINAL DRAFT OF THE BILL.

CARRINGTON

NNNN

DISTRIBUTION:

LIMITED

PS/MR BLAKER

HKGD

NTD

PS/MR LUCE

PS/PUS

PS

MR DONALD

PS/LPS

MR ADAMS

COPIES TO:

HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON

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UNCLASSIFIED