TNAG-1084-FCO40-1334-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1981 — Page 7

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DESK OFFICER

CONFIDENTIAL

PA

MAUSTRY Action Taken

(329

INDEX

M

PS/Mr Luce

1.8.1 fus 7/8

(without enclosures) Mr. Mc Qua

cc Mr Adams

SED

SAID

HKC ECD(I)

Mr Williamson

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NATIONALITY BILL: 'GIBRALTAR AMENDMENT'

Problem

See (331)

1. On 22 July the Lords in Committee voted for an amendment to the Nationality Bill the effect of which would give people connected with Gibraltar the right to acquire British citizenship on demand. The amendment is based on Gibraltar's being in the EC. What action can the FCO usefully take now about this?

Recommendation

2. That the LPS or the Secretary of State should write to the Home Secretary on the lines of the attached minute stating the FCO's continued opposition to the amendment and wish to see it Overturned. SED, HKGD, SAmD and ECD(I) concur.

Background and Argument

3. Throughout the Parliamentary proceedings in the Commons the Government, with full FCO participation, opposed an identical amendment in favour of Gibraltarians and other amendments of various kinds which would have given British citizenship to people from certain other dependencies. The Government's case was that it was invidious and wrong to discriminate between the dependencies. In particular in relation to the Gibraltar amendment the Government's case was that being in the EC gave Gibraltarians certain benefits (eg free movement of labour) but did not create grounds for privileges in other areas such as our nationality law. The Government argued that a concession to Gibraltar or any other

CONFIDENTIAL

/dependency