TNAG-1085-FCO40-1335-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1981 — Page 59

CODE 18.77

Mr McQuader

Mr Williamson

CONFIDENTIAL

Reference.......

ник 34011

RECEIVED IN REUBERY NO. 51

12 OCT 1981

DESK OFFICIA

INDEX

PA

REGISTRY Action Teken

392

NATIONALITY BILL: HONG KONG

مصل

&

ما بقات

Pas islio

See(397

1. The following are the main points agreed at the meeting which the LPS held this morning with Lord Trefgarne and officials to consider our reaction to the Home Office's refusal to consider a fall-back for Hong Kong and other Dependent Territories:

a) no demands should be made to press for a 'Hong Kong amendment'

in the Lords today.

b)

c)

d)

e)

f)

while every effort would be made to defeat the Falkland Islands amendment, Hong Kong's case is strengthened if it were passed.

even if the Falkland Islands amendment were defeated, there would still be a problem if in the end the Gibraltar amendment remained on the statute book. This would be a problem not only for Hong Kong but also for HMG.

it would not be procedurally possible to wait until the out- come of the Gibraltar amendment was known in the Commons. No further amendments could be introduced by the Government at that stage. Therefore, although the Home Office now appeared more determined to resist the Gibraltar amendment, a risk remained in doing nothing.

depending on the actual terms of Mr Whitelaw's reply when received, the LPS would further write to him again accepting that no fall-back amendment, should be put forward now but emphasising the danger of d no contingency planing.

We should suggest that a fall-back clause should be agreed with the Home Office on the lines suggested and that a decision on whether or not to use it should be taken before the Lords' Third Reading on 20 October, the last occasion on which it could be introduced. This decision would have to depend on the latest assessment of the likely voting in the Commons on the Gibraltar amendment.

HKGD would draft on these lines.

7 October 1981

R D Clift

Hong Kong and General Department

CONFIDENTIAL