TNAG-1188-FCO40-1490-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1982 — Page 105

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

1

FKK 3491

1981

19

421

CONFIDENTIAL

2

Mr Atkins said that it would not be possible to use their

description without legislative cover Paragraph 3 of FCO

telegram number 800. The Governor raised the matter again

in his letter of 16 March to Mr Atkins.

Attached

D

CI

Attached.

Argument

5.

NTD have again consulted the Legal Advisers who confirm

that the term used in the BNA, ie BDTC must be used and that

any variants would be unacceptable. This means that we cannot

accept any of the descriptions the Governor suggested in

paragraph 4 of his letter.

6.

·

The Legal Advisers have queried whether the designation

BDTC in the passport should be followed by the words 'Hong Kong'

It has been stated that the intention is that 'Hong Kong' should

be included. Mr Raison, Minister of State at the Home Office,

said as much in Parliament on 4 June 1981. Lord Belstead

reaffirmed this in the House of Lords on 22 June 1981. Although

the Legal Advisers' preference is that Hong Kong should not be

included, there are strong reasons of policy for sticking to the

undertaking already given. The addition of Hong Kong to BDTC

adds substance to what has been seen as a rather amorphous title.

I recommend that this formulation be retained.

7.

The Governor also touches on how BDTC's should describe

their nationality on immigration forms. The reply to this is

CONFIDENTIAL

/difficult.

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