TNAG-1192-FCO40-1494-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1982 — Page 85

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Reference

188

Mr Partridge, MVD

Mr Holmes, Passport Office

cc (for info with refs): -

Mr Brind, Consular Dept

Mr Fearn, FID

Dr. Wilson, SED

Mr Carruthers, SPD

Mr Clift, HKGD

Mr Elliott, FED

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c. 5)

Mr Edwards, WIAD

Mr Hill, Legal Advisers

INDUS

NG

MTPR

Mr. Bu tom tr

RAP

Mr. Hoare Ma/11

Discussed at Heety

Af grill teo & Home Wire Heal m 2 Now. NTD are

'BRITISH NATIONAL IN HONG KONG PASSPORTS

1. Thank you for your comments on my minute of 25 October. shall have to form a concerted FCO view before we write to the Home Office.

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2. The NTD interest remains to minimise the damage done to the recent nationality legislation and to our passport practice. From this point of view it would have been agreeable to confine the anomaly by limiting the addition 'British National' to passports issued in Hong Kong. But I accept the advice of WIAD that this would lead to demands for parity from other dependencies, and the assessment of FED that adding the words 'British National' only in the case of Hong Kong could lead to difficulties with the Chinese government.

3.

This leaves the question of where to draw the line. The immediately obvious answer is that 'British National' should be added to all BDTC passports. But Mr Partridge has pointed out the weakness of our position in respect of BOCs. As he indicates, we could risk exposing Ministers to questions to which there is no effective reply.

4.

In the circumstances there might be merit in adding 'British National' to all British passports except those of British citizens. This would cover the left flank, and though it would be regrettable to have to extend the formula to BOCs this would at least be in line with the main intention of the Nationality Act which was to maintain a clear and firm distinction between British citizens who have a right of entry and abode and all other British nationals who do not.

5.

As HKGD want a reply to go to Hong Kong before 11 November we may need a quick meeting to sort this out. If so Lord N Gordon Lennox would be prepared to chair one at 11.30 on Monday 1 November.

6.

You might wish to re-read the debate on Lord Geddes' amendment of 13 October 1981. An extract from Hansard is attached.

28 October 1982

Christopher Howells

C J Howells

Nationality & Treaty Dept

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