TNAG-1087-FCO40-1337-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1982 — Page 25

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XCCI(81)52 Copy No. 30.

NOTE FOR EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

BRITISH NATIONALITY ACT 1981

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At the Executive Council meeting held on 27th October 1981, the Governor informed Members that the House of Commons debate on the Lords amendments to the British Nationality Bill 1981 would be held later that day. He quoted a question he had prepared, with Mr Oswald Cheung's agreement, which he hoped Sir Paul Bryan would raise during the debate.

Sir Paul Bryan's Speech

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Sir Paul Bryan spoke during the debate on a technical amendment to the "Gibraltar Clause". In his speech, Sir Paul:

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

quoted previous assurances given in Parliament by Mr Whitelaw and other Ministers of non-discrimination between the different dependent territories;

pointed out that, while there was no ill-will for Gibraltar in Hong Kong, HMG's acceptance of the Gibraltar Clause had caused "profound disillusionment" in Hong Kong;

argued that the acceptance of the Gibraltar Clause had created a new situation in which some further reassurance to other dependent territories was necessary; and

asked the Home Secretary to confirm again "that British dependent territory citizens hold and enjoy this status, together with the defined international responsibility of Her Majesty's Government for them, for life, regardless of whether their territory remains on the schedule or not, and that the rights of this citizenship, as defined by the Minister of State, will be transmittable to their children, as provided for in clauses 16 and 17 of the Bill".

The full text of Sir Paul Bryan's speech is at Annex A.

The Home Secretary's Reply

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In summing up this part of the debate, the Home Secretary, Mr Whitelaw, said:

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G.S. 166

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