TNAG-1385-FCO40-1833-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-citizenship-1985 — Page 270

་་་་་་ལ་ནས་རྣམས་ལས་འདས་ནས། བདག་མ་རྟ་

ЈАЗАЈК

CONFIDENTIAL

تق

ها تاملات اسفلت

Mr

HKK 062/2

Reference...CC: 040/33)

Ponych or pulg.

Mrs Priest, HKD

401

HONG KONG CHINESE SERVING IN HM FORCES

1.

ва

живывод

1944

In view of the implications for Nationality issues, and of the possibility of a "third force" to succeed the British garrison in due course I am recording a discussion with Mr Emery of IND, Home Office, today.

1

2.

Mr Emery spoke to me s ome days ago about the position under the BNA of Chinese crew members of RN ships: these can apply for British citizenship under S.6(1), one criterion for which is Crown military service. Several applications have already been received by the Home Office from local Hong Kong personnel serving in the Hong Kong Military Service Corps: HKG are keen that such applications should be treated like S.4(5) ones and, insofar as possible, refused. So far so good. Mr Emery was however enquiring about our position regarding Hong Kong seamen on RN ships outside Hong Kong who may seek to apply under S.6(1). He was also seeking details of the numbers

involved.

3. The position is (of course) confused. Having spoken to:

(a)

(b)

(c)

DC Kirk, Head of CFS Coord (N) MOD (218 x 2628)

A Wilding, Naval Manpower and Training Division, MOD (218 x 3914)

Hadden, CINCFLEET, Northwood (Northwood

Lt Cdr 26161 x 7108)

there are apparently 3 categories of Hong Kong residents serving on HM ships:

(a) those recruited in Hong Kong to serve the Hong Kong

squadron, on shore or at sea, as

civilian s or disciplined personnel;

(b)

(c)

those working on the Royal Fleet Auxiliaries (RFAs): these se em to have the status of crewmen (about 300)

(about 300) employed by MOD. Under a 1975 agreement (with UK unions?) they are

being phased out in the next few years (well before 1997). those working as laundrymen and tailors on RN ships. They are employees of Hong Kong firms

with

whom Capt-in-charge/Hong Kong contracts to provide these

services for

for individual ships. The employees (about 150) are thus not employed by HMG and are not part of

part of the RN establishment. From my discussions with MOD, it is clear that no-one has thought about their future and, indeed, as contract labour maybe there is no need to.

3.

a

line general

-

(a), (b) and (c) above is enough for Mr Emery to formulate on S.6(1) applications from any of these groups. The position on the future of those at (a) is covered by

CODE 18-77

ник

040/+

R

dpl.

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