TNAG-1334-FCO40-1766-Future-of-Hong-Kong-legislation-1984 — Page 4

Prik Sayanties.

Reavonden submittal L

intialling by Sewates 1 Stale. (Boban

Private Secretary

Secretary

(MKD)

Ranks

DENTIAL

Mr Hyran (HKD) (10

The secretary of State and the Home Secretary

CO HUM, HKD

are content.

Green light this

FROM:

DATE: 31 December 1984

cc: PS/Lady Young

for memorandum.

PS/Mr Luce

PS/PUS

Sir J Freeland

сс

Sir W Harding

Dr Wilson

CRfudd 2/1

(this page only)

as left.

Mr Burrows, Legal Advisers

리

HONG KONG BILL: DRAFT MEMORANDUM FOR LEGISLATION COMMITTEE

1.

1166

say

The Secretary of State queried, in connection with the draft which I submitted on 28 December, whether it did not

too little about our hope of getting the title of the new form of British nationality cleared up in time for possible inclusion in the second reading speech, if not in the Bill itself.

2. My original intention, given the present state

state of uncertainty surrounding the nationality title, was to propose that Lady Young should deal with this orally in the Legislation Committee rather than to cover it in the memorandum itself. If however the Secretary of State would prefer a reference to the present position in the memorandum, I suggest that this could take the form of the following new paragraph after paragraph 4 of the present draft:

"As at present drafted the Bill does not contain the title of the new form of nationality which British Dependent Territories. citizens connected with Hong Kong may acquire before 1 July 1997. Our proposals relating to this title are still under discussion with the Executive Council of Hong Kong and also with the Chinese Government (who must in practice be prepared to acquiesce in what we propose). [The title which at present seems most likely to secure general agreement is "British national: special status".] The intention is to secure the

agreement of all concerned as soon as possible. Even if the title cannot be included in the Bill when it is published, it

CONFIDENTIAL