TNAG-1084-FCO40-1334-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1981 — Page 179

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practical benefits to them. What is important is

Ministers

whether the Government will in practice continue to

represent them internationally, give consular assistance

and help with entry into third countries etc.

have given assurances on all these points and are

willing to repeat them. Ministers have in fact been

unqualified in their approach to the dependencies in all

discussions of nationality. In the White Paper they said. that CBDT 'would in no way alter the relationship between those territories and the UK, nor the Government's obligations and commitments to the dependent territories

and to their citizens. In the Second Reading Debate Mr Whitelaw reaffirmed that 'the proposed legislation is

in no way intended to weaken those links [with the dependencies] to which we attach great importance'.

'What I want to stress however is that the Bill in

no way alters the position as regards the UK's moral and

constitutional responsibilities for the territories in

question'. During the Committee stage and elsewhere

Ministers have repeatedly drawn attention to and

•

repeated these assurances. That is the reality of the situation. It is in no way diminished by unwillingness to introduce a new designation which brings no practical benefits but which because of disagreement on its meaning and consequences would inevitably create grave difficulties for the UK.

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