TNAG-1193-FCO40-1495-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1982 — Page 133

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HITK 340/1

GR 300

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 221048Z NOV 82

TO IMMEDIATE F C O

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1359 OF 22 NOVEMBER

MIPT: NOMENCLATURE IN PASSPORTS

228

ho

125/11 AP261

THE FOLLOWING IS THE DRAFT OF THE STATEMENT TO BE MADE IN

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON 24TH NOVEMBER AT 2.33 P.M. LOCAL TIME BY

THE CHIEF SECRETARY.

229

SIR,

I RISE TO MAKE A STATEMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH STANDING ORDER

20 ON THE SUBJECT OF THE NATIONALITY AND CITIZENSHIP DESCRIPTIONS

IN BRITISH PASSPORTS.

2. MEMBERS WILL RECALL THAT MR SWAINE RAISED THIS ISSUE IN THE

RECENT DEBATE ON YOUR ANNUAL ADDRESS TO THIS COUNCIL. IN

RESPONDING ON 10 NOVEMBER, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAID THAT GOVERNMENT

WAS HOPEFUL THAT, BEFORE TOO LONG, A SATISFACTORY RESOLUTION OF

THE MATTER WOULD BE ACHIEVED.

3. I AM VERY PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO REPORT THAT THIS HAS NOW

HAPPENDED. OPEN SQUARE BRACKETS THE PRIME MINISTER HAS CLOSE

SQUARE BRACKETS OPEN SQUARE BRACKETS H.M.G. HAVE CLOSE SQUARE

BRACKETS AGREED THAT, IN FUTURE, OPPOSITE THE WORD **NATIONALITY:

ON THE FIRST PAGE OF ALL BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES PASSPORTS

WILL APPEAR THE WORD BRITISH". THIS WILL CONFIRM BEYOND DOUBT

THAT ALL HOLDERS OF THESE PASSPORTS ARE BRITISH NATIONALS AND

ENTITLED TO THE RIGHTS OF PROTECTION.

4. IMMEDIATELY UNDER THE NATIONALITY DESCRIPTION THERE WILL BE

A STATEMENT OF THE HOLDER'S CITIZENSHIP. IN THE CASE OF HONG KONG,

AFTER THE BRITISH NATIONALITY ACT COMES INTO FORCE ON 1 JANUARY

1983, THIS WILL BE BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZEN, HONG

KONG''.

5. THESE CHANGES DO NOT, OF COURSE, ALTER OR AFFECT THE EXISTING LAW SO FAR AS RIGHTS OF ENTRY TO, LET ALONE OF ABODE IN, THE

UNITED KINGDOM OR ELSEWHERE ARE CONCERNED TO WHICH REFERENCE IS

MADE ELSEWHERE IN THE PASSPORT. THEY SIMPLY DESCRIBE ACCURATELY

THE NATIONALITY AND THE CITIZENSHIP OF A PASSPORT HOLDER.

6. THIS MATTER IS ONE, SIR, ABOUT WHICH I KNOW MEMBERS HAVE FELT STRONGLY, AND THE DECISION I HAVE JUST DESCRIBED IS ONE WHICH I AM SURE WILL BE WARMLY WELCOMED NOT ONLY IN THIS COUNCIL, BUT

ALSO IN THE COMMUNITY GENERALLY''.

See (228

YOUDE

LIMITED

HK+GD

NTD

FED

LEGAL ADVISERS

PS

PS/ LORD BELSTEAD PS/ MR RIFKIND

PS/PUS MR GIFFARD

MR DONALD

LORD NG- LENNOX

CONFIDENTIAL