TNAG-1386-FCO40-1834-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-citizenship-1985 — Page 165

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CONFIDENTIAL

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518

QUEEN ANNE'S GATE LONDON SWIH 9AT

RS/ Mr Peste Dr Wilson

Dear John, Gyal Advisers

P.R.J.

th

19 November 1985

HONG KONG: WHITE PAPER ON THE NATIONALITY PROVISIONS CF THE HONG KONG ACT 1981

Zicketts 19/1

I thought it would be helpful if I wrote to you about the arrangements which I hope can be made for debates in both Houses before Christmas on the proposals in the White Paper on Hong Kong which was published on 17 October (Cand 9637).

As I said in my minute to the Prime Minister of 30 September, we are committed to having preliminary debates on the White Paper and to consider any points which are made in advance of laying formally the draft Order in Council under the affirmative resolution procedure. That Order needs to have been made by next April. Hong Kong is expecting the debates to take place in mid-December. I understand that for this reason the Legislative Council of Hong Kong will debate the White Paper on 4 December. There would be advantage in following that up before the Christmas recess. We do not want to leave time for any uncertainty to build up in Hong Kong and we need to show we are leaving sufficient time to consider the points made in Parliament before laying the Order. All this points to the appropriate time for the debates being in the latter half of the week of 9 December or early the following week, and I judge, subject to the views of colleagues, that as a matter of tactics, it would clearly be preferable to have the debate in the Commons before that in the Lords.

The purpose of the debate is to allow Parliament to put forward views on the draft Order in Council attached to the White Paper while it is still in a form in which it can, if necessary, be amended. I doubt if we need a substantive motion for this and given the very limited room we have for manoeuvre within the terms of the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Hong Kong Act 1985, it would not be helpful to leave ourselves open to amendments either from the Opposition or Government supporters. I see advantage therefore in a half-day debate on the adjournment in the Commons if that could be arranged, followed by a take note motion in the Lords.

I hope that you, and the Lord President, will find it possible to arrange debates in the way I have suggested.

I am copying this letter to the Prime Minister and the Lord President and also to other OD(K) colleagues, John Wakeham, Bertie Denham and Sir Robert Armstrong.

HKK 040/4

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The Rt Hon John Biffen, MP

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FCQ 40 1834.

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