TNAG-1333-FCO40-1765-Future-of-Hong-Kong-legislation-1985 — Page 209

CODE 18-77

Mr Galsworthy

HONG KONG BILL

CONFIDENTIAL

Reference.

HKK 040/53.

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

2 3 OCT 1984

DESK OFFICER INDEX

REGIKY

BA

Action Taken

כ

32

1. With reference to the sentence in square brackets at the end of paragraph 8 of the draft instructions attached to Mr Burrows' minute of 18 October, the point is that the legislation amending the British Nationality Act 1981 will need to contain

a provision to the effect that the children of persons holding the new category of British nationality will acquire British nationality at birth if they would otherwise be stateless. It is not clear to me what degree of detail will need to be included in the enabling provision in the Hong Kong Bill. If the intention is to list the main amendments that will be made through the Order in Council, then I agree that this point should be included.

2.

The third sentence of paragraph 8 of the draft instructions is surely incorrect. Those eligible to acquire the new status will only do so if they have obtained or been included in a British passport of the appropriate type before 1 July 1997, with the exception of those born between 1 January and 30 June 1997, for whom the deadline will be 31 December 1997.

19 October 1984

CC: Sir J Freeland

Mr Burrows, Legal Advisers Mrs Veale, NTD

Mrs Redice, Protocol

Mr Hum

CONFIDENTIAL

Rihofren

R JF

Hoare

Hong Kong Department