TNAG-1377-FCO40-1825-Future-of-Hong-Kong-legislation-Hong-Kong-Bill-1985 — Page 215

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FM FCO 151629Z JANUARY 85

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 96 OF 15 JANUARY

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

HONG KONG BILL : AMENDMENT TABLED BY MR ENOCH POWELL MP

1. MR POWELL TODAY TABLED THE FOLLOWING AMENDMENT TO THE HONG

KONG BILL:-

'ON SECOND READING OF THE HONG KONG BILL TO MOVE, THAT THIS HOUSE

DECLINES TO GIVE A SECOND READING TO A BILL WHICH PROVIDES FOR

THE LAW OF CITIZENSHIP TO BE ALTERED BY ORDER AND THUS PRECLUDES

THAT DETAILED CONSIDERATION AND AMENDMENT OF SUCH ALTERATIONS BY

.THE HOUSE, WHICH ENACTMENT BY BILL WOULD AFFORD'.

2.

THIS HAS AROUSED A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF PRESS INTEREST,

AND WE ARE BEING ASKED WHY WE ARE PROCEEDING BY ORDER IN COUNCIL.

WE ARE CONSIDERING TAKING THE LINE IN PARAGRAPH 4 OF FCO TELNO

23, ADDING THE POINT THAT HMG CONSIDER IT IMPORTANT TO SET OUT

IN THE BILL THE FRAMEWORK OF ALL THE LEGISLATION NECESSARY TO

IMPLEMENT THE AGREEMENT, INCLUDING THE NATIONALITY PROVISIONS IN

THE UK MEMORANDUM. HAVING TWO HONG KONG BILLS, WHICH WOULD

OTHERWISE BE NECESSARY, WOULD BE WASTEFUL OF PARLIAMENTARY TIME.

THE AFFIRMATIVE RESOLUTION PROCEDURE DOES ALLOW PARLIAMENT THE

OPPORTUNITY FOR FULL DEBATE OF THE PROVISIONS IN THE

ORDER-IN-COUNCIL.

3. WE ARE NOT YET CLEAR, HOWEVER, WHETHER IT WOULD BE A BREACH

OF PARLIAMENTARY PRIVILEGE TO COMMENT AT ALL ON MR POWELL'S

AMENDMENT. WE ARE THEREFORE NOT MAKING ANY COMMENT UNTIL THIS

POINT HAS BEEN CLARIFIED, PROBABLY ON 16 JANUARY.

HOWE

NNNN

HONG KONG AGREEMENT

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED

HD/PLANNING STAFF

HD/PUSD

DEP HD/PUSD

RESEARCH DEPT (MR WALKER)

PS

PS/MR LUCE

PS/PUS

SIR W HARD ING

MR WILSON

SIR J FREELAND

MR J CROWLEY, PUSD

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COPIES TO: (VIA ADR)

MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT

MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR BURROWS, LEGAL ADVISERS

MR MARTIN, ASST STAFF CABINET

OFFICE

MR CARTLEDGE, CABINET OFFICE MR COLVIN, CABINET OFFICE SIR P CRADOCK, NO 10 DOWNING ST MR.EMERY - BE HOME OFFICE

CROYDON.

MR. HYDE

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