25 January 1985
Mr Ivor Stanbrook (Orpington): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, why the new category of British nationality (overseas) is proposed for Hong Kong instead of the existing category of British overseas citizenship; and in what significant respects the former differs from the latter.
No W17
MR RICHARD LUCE
We believe that the circumstances of Hong Kong are
unique and should be reflected in a unique status. There
are also reasons why British Overseas citizenship would not
be an "appropriate status" within the terms of the UK Memorandum.
For example, British Overseas citizenship may be acquired at any time by registration, but the UK Memorandum imposes time limits
on the acquisition of the new status.
The benefits to be accorded to holders of the proposed
new status of "British National (Overseas)" are still under
detailed consideration and will be subject to parliamentary
approval. The Government intends, however, that they should
be broadly the same as those enjoyed by British Dependent Territories citizens, except for transmissibility. This means
that there are unlikely to be major differences under UK law
in the benefits enjoyed by holders of the proposed British
National (Overseas) status and the existing British Overseas
citizenship.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.