TNAG-1193-FCO40-1495-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1982 — Page 13

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In May 1982 HMG confirmed that there were legal reasons why only the citizenship designation BDTC should appear in (Hong Kong) BDTC passports. This view was challenged by our Attorney

General whose opinion was referred to HMG. It argued that it was lawful and indeed appropriate to describe in a passport not only the holder's category of citizenship, but also the relationship which gives rise to the right to protection, i.e. nationality.

In September 1982, when the Prime Minister visited Hong Kong, UMELCO stressed afresh the importance we attached to retaining a nationality description in the new BDTC passports. It is a matter of public record that Mrs Thatcher promised to look into the matter personally.

Sir, the Chief Secretary reported to this Council on 24.11.82 that HMG had agreed that the description "British" would appear opposite the word "Nationality" on the first page of all British Dependent Territories passports. This was most welcome news and a great relief; and I would like to pay particular tribute to the Attorney General's advocacy on our behalf. But at

the end of the day, it gave us nothing new; nothing we did not already possess. I can only say that had we failed to persuade HMG to our point of view BDTC passports issued to Hong Kong's British subjects would not have contained a clear description of nationality.

Turning now to the recent Falklands amendment to the

Will British Nationality Act, which afford Falkland Islanders the right to British citizenship: there is no question the measure is discriminatory against other dependent territories of which Hong Kong is much the biggest. Sir, your predecessor, Lord MacLehose spoke to the Falklands bill in the House of Lords and I

think accurately reflected our views. In conclusion, I would like to quote two passages from Lord MacLehose's address :-

"The British Nationality Bill's treatment of dependent territories was bitterly resented, not least in Hong Kong. It is true the door to the United Kingdom was closed to residents of dependent territories in 1962, but the Nationality Bill appeared, gratuituously, to

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