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AND FINAL PROVISIONS ON NATIONALITY. THE MAIN REASON IS THAT THE AGREEMENT SET A TIME LIMIT FOR RATIFICATION, WHICH MUST BE BEFORE 30 JUNE 1985: THE BILL MUST HAVE PASSED THROUGH BOTH HOUSES AND RECEIVED ROYAL ASSENT IN TIME FOR THAT TO TAKE PLACE. IT THEREFORE HAD TO BE INTRODUCED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE SIGNATURE HAD TAKEN PLACE. THIS LEFT INSUFFICIENT TIME FR THE NECESSARY DISCUSSION OF DETAILS OF THE NATIONALITY PROVISONS TO TAKE PLACE IN HONG KONG. ALTHOUGH THE UK MEMORANDUM LAYS DOWN THE MAIN LINES OF WHAT IS NECESSARY, THERE IS STILL A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF DETAIL TO BE CONSIDERED WHEN DRAFTING THE LEGISLATION. 18. AS HON MEMBERS KNOW THIS IS A SUBJECT OF GREAT SENSITIVITY IN HONG KONG, AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THAT THE LEGISLATION IS ACCEPTABLE THERE. WORK ON THIS IS IN HAND, AND DISCUSSIONS ARE TAKING PLACE WITH THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL IN HONG KONG. HOWEVER IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN WISE AND IN FACT IS NOT NECESSARY ΤΟ ATTEMPT TO RUSH THROUGH DETAILED PROVISIONS IN THE TIMESCALE WHICH THE DATE OF RATIFICATION IMPOSES ON THIS LEGISLATION. 19. NEVERTHELESS THE MEASURES CONCERNED ARISE DIRECTLY OUT OF THE AGREEMENT AND MEMORANDUM AND IT IS APPROPRIATE THAT ALL SUCH MATTERS SHOULD BE DEALT WITH IN THE BILL. THE GOVERNMENT CONSIDER THAT IT WOULD BE UNNECESSARY AND WASTEFUL OF PARLIAMENTARY TIME TO HAVE A SEPARATE BILL AT A LATER STAGE PURELY IN ORDER TO MAKE THE RELATIVELY SMALL AND LIMITED AMENDMENTS TO THE NATIONALITY ACT WHICH THE MEMORANDUM MAKES NECESSARY. SUCH AN ACT WOULD BE NEEDED IF THE NECESSARY POWERS WERE NOT CONFERRED IN THIS BILL.
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20. EVEN THOUGH THE PROPOSALS CANNOT YET BE FINAL, WE THOUGHT IT RIGHT THAT THE BILL SHOULD CONTAIN A CLEAR INDICATION OF THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTIONS WITH REGARD TO NATIONALITY, AND SET OUT A FRAMEWORK FOR THE SUBSEQUENT DELEGATED LEGISLATION THAT WILL BE NECESSARY. PARLIAMENT QUITE RIGHTLY EXPECTS TO KNOW WHAT THE GENERAL NATURE OF SUCH LEGISLATION WOULD BE. MOREOVER, TO DO OTHERWISE WOULD PERPETUATE UNCERTAINTY IN HONG KONG AND MIGHT LEAD TO DOUBTS AS TO THE GOVERNMENT'S UNWILLINGNESS TO IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS OF THE UK MEMORANDUM. I AM SURE THAT HON MEMBERS
WOULD AGREE THAT THIS WOULD BE MOST UNDESIRABLE.
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CONFIDENTIAL
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