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[ 25 OCTOBER 1984]
Finally, may we have the assurance that when the changeover takes place Her Majesty's Government will accept full responsibility for the admission to this country of at least certain special categories of Hong Kong citizens? I particularly have in mind those concerned with security and the police.
We must all hope that the agreement will be carried out in the same admirable spirit in which it has been negotiated. Hong Kong is a phenomenal success and we on these Benches wish it well in the future.
Lord Broxbourne: My Lords-—————
Lord Trefgarne: My Lords, I apologise for being a little slow to rise to my feet. I very much appreciate the reception which the noble and learned Lord and the noble Lord have given to this Statement. The Chinese Government have certainly accepted the position which I outlined in the Statement about the status of the agreement which we have reached.
The noble and learned Lord asked about the position of non-Chinese nationals borne in Hong Kong to parents with the right of abode in the special administrative region, as it will come to be called. I can say that they will acquire the right of abode through their parents and will retain the right of abode after the age of 21 if they have lived for some time in Hong Kong, for a continuous period of seven years, and have taken Hong Kong as the place of permanent residence. I hope that answers the point raised by the noble and learned Lord.
The noble Lord, Lord Mayhew, asked what interim developments might be made in the governmental system in Hong Kong. I know that this is a matter which my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary is thinking about at present and I believe that some changes will be made; particularly there is the possibility of introducing in the colony some form of elected representation which, the noble Lord will be aware, does not exist at present.
On the other point made by the noble Lord, I can say that our aim was to obtain arrangements which would provide a secure future for Hong Kong people in which to continue to live, work and raise their children. I am confident that we have achieved it. My right honourable friend the Home Secretary has the power, of course, to exercise his discretion in respect of applications for admission to the United Kingdom and certain other applications under the nationality legislation. Applications under these provisions will be considered on their merits in the future as in the past. Again, I am grateful to both the noble and learned Lord and the noble Lord for the reception that they have given to the Statement.
Lord Kennet: My Lords, in thanking the Minister may I press him a little further on the assessment process which my noble friend Lord Mayhew raised but which was not answered. Not only is there worry in Hong Kong about the names being kept and published after thirty years-I hope this worry can be laid to rest here and now in this House-but cannot the Government even now consider allowing the Assessment Office to set about its task in a slightly more outgoing way by, for example, using public opinion polls-the Government of Hong Kong have a
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well-tried mechanism for public opinion polls which is not being used in this all-important case-by setting up district offices to which people may simply come and give their opinion verbally, rather than writing formally with a signature and everything; and, above all, simply by receiving telephone calls? Why are those things not being done? They would add greatly to the validity of the assessment if they were done.
My second question is this. What has this Parliament left to do in the matter? What stages still face us? Do we expect a Bill amending the nationality legislation to look after people who would otherwise be stateless? There are a lot of people: not 2 million but 7,000 or 8,000. What steps must Parliament take to enshrine in legislation the transfer of sovereignty in 1997? When will those steps have to be taken to fit the schedule agreed with China?
Lord Trefgarne: My Lords, I apologise to the noble Lord, Lord Mayhew, for not answering the point that he put to me about the assessment procedure and what may happen to the records that are prepared there. I can see no reason why the records need to be kept longer than is necessary for the Assessment Office to form its views. We hope that we shall get its report by the end of November. If I am wrong about that, pehaps I may be allowed to communicate with the noble Lord. But, as I say, I am not aware of any plans other than the ones to which I have referred.
As for the question of conducting opinion polls among the people of Hong Kong, speaking for myself I have a fairly narrow respect for opinion polls. I think the results depend very much on the questions asked and the people involved in conducting them. Although I do not for a moment doubt the good intentions of the Hong Kong Government in conducting any such poll, I am not necessarily convinced that it would be the best way to proceed. As the noble Lord, Lord Kennet, is aware, it is necessary to proceed with reasonable dispatch over producing the results of the assessment procedure. I believe that the arrangements that we have set out are the best that can be devised in the circumstances. The noble Lord may be aware that in addition to the Assessment Office there are two monitors at work in the colony at the present time. One of them is Sir Patrick Nairne, who is a former very distinguished civil servant in this country; the other is a Judge Lee, who is of course a judge of Hong Kong origin.
The noble Lord also asked about the possibility of anybody becoming stateless as a result of these arrangements. As he will be aware, there are international obligations upon us to ensure that we have regard to people who may, unfortunately, arrive in that circumstance. He is right to say that the numbers, if any, are likely to be very small indeed. The Government will certainly be bringing forward legislation to meet that case in due course and certainly in good time for 1997.
Lord Shepherd: My Lords, most generous congratu- lations have been given to Her Majesty's Government and to the Government of the PRC in regard to this agreement. I think that that includes the officials in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (I dare not mention names) and equally the officials within the
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