TNAG-1379-FCO40-1827-Future-of-Hong-Kong-legislation-Hong-Kong-Bill-1985 — Page 218

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both from those who believe we are doing too much for the people of

Hong Kong and from those who feel that HMG have done too little.

HMG is doing too much

The arguments of those who think we are doing too much are likely to

centre on the retention of British ationality, and the benefits that nationality carries with it. Some could argue that it is wrong to perpetuate a situation in which persons who do not have the right

of abode in the UK nevertheless hold a form of British nationality.

Others could argue that it is wrong for persons who derive their British nationality from a connection with a Dependent Territory to

continue to hold such nationality when that territory itself ceases to be British. Still others might argue that the benefits to be

enjoyed by those who hold the new form of nationality should be

be far

less than those enjoyed by BDTCs.

Ministers will wish to rebut these arguments forcefully. They may refer to the very great importance attached by Hong Kong people to

the retention of their nationality status and to the clear

reassurance on this point already provided in the UK Memorandum.

That Memorandum represents a political commitment which HMG are

bound to uphold. Moreover it has been made clear to the Executive

Council of Hong Kong that the benefits of the new status will be the

same in all major respects as those now enjoyed by BDTCs, except for

the loss of

of transmissibility. There can be no going back on these

commitments.

Some Lords who think we

are doing too much for the people of Hong

Kong may also try to write into the Bill an explicit provision that

the new form of nationality will not carry the right of abode in the

UK.

This is quite unnecessary. The UK Memorandum makes it clear that

the ^ew form will not carry with it the right of abode

abode in the UK.

There is no need

no need to legislate on the point; to do so might be taken as a gratuitous insult in Hong Kong. Moreover Ministers may also

say that the power s in the Bill as drafted could not subsequently be

used ΤΟ confer the right of abode in th- UK on BN (O) s.

BN(O)s.

This

is

because:

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