TNAG-1193-FCO40-1495-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-the-British-nationa-1982 — Page 86

RESTRICTED

41040 -

3

GO

Sve

263

OO HONG KONG (DESKBY 090100Z)

GRS 710

RESTRICTED

DESKBY 090100Z

FM FCO 081300Z DEC 82

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1040 OF 8 DECEMBER

PQ: BNA 1981

!

HAK 340 ||

No

итов,

1. SIR C FLETCHER-COOKE HAS PUT DOWN A PQ FOR ORAL ANSWER ON 16 DECEMBER. IT WILL BE ANSWERED BY THE HOME OFFICE AND MAY BE REACHED: 'TO ASK THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT, IF, SINCE THE ROYAL ASSENT WAS GIVEN TO THE BRITISH NATIONALITY ACT 1981, THERE HAS BEEN ANY ALTERATION IN THE CITIZENSHIP OR IMMIGRATION STATUS OR EXPECTATIONS OF THE INHABITANTS OF HONG KONG WHETHER BY ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION, MINISTERIAL ASSURANCES

OR OTHERWISE'.

2. DRAFT REPLY PROPOSED BY HOME OFFICE AND ACCEPTABLE TO US: 'THERE HAS BEEN NO ALTERATION IN THE CITIZNESHIP OR IMMIGRATION STATUS OF THE INHABITANTS OF HONG KONG SINCE ROYAL ASSENT WAS GIVEN TO THE BRITISH NATIONALITY ACT 1981. NO MINISTERIAL ASSURANCES HAVE BEEN GIVEN NOR HAS ANY ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION BEEN TAKEN SINCE THEN WHICH COULD JUSTIFY ANY ALTERATION IN THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE INHABITANTS OF HONG KONG ON THESE QUESTIONS'.

NOTES FOR SUPPLEMENTARIES.

3.

WHAT ASSURANCES IN THIS FIELD HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO HONG KONG?

HMG HAVE STATED THAT THE NEW CITIZENSHIP ARRANGEMENTS IN BNA IN NO WAY WEAKEN THE CONSTITUTIONAL RELATIONSHIP OF THE UK WITH ANY OF THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES, AND THAT THE ACT HAS NOT CHANGED THE IMMIGRATION POSITION OF PEOPLE FROM THE DEPENDENCIES.

HAS NOT A CHANGE RECENTLY BEEN MADE TO THE NATIONAL DESCRIPTION

IN PASSPORTS ISSUED TO A PERSON FROM HONG KONG?

YES. MY NOBLE FRIEND LORD ELTON CONFIRMED IN ANOTHER PLACE ON 29 NOVEMBER THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD AGREED THAT DEPENDENT TERRITORIES, INCLUDING HONG KONG, MAY INSERT THE WORD 'BRITISH' OPPOSITE THE PRINTED WORDS 'NATIONAL STATUS' IN ALL PASSPORTS ISSUED TO BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS.

1

RESTRICTED