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A number of me here including Mr John Swaine, Mra Selina Chow, Mr Stephen Cheong, Mr Hui Yin-fat, Mr Desmond Lee, Dr Ho Kawful and Mr Hilton Cheong-Lean, pointed to the need to ensure that the new RN(0) passport is as effective a travel document as the existing BDIC passport in order that Hong Kong BUTCE would continue to have the same conveniende of travel in the run up to 1997 and beyond. One aspect of the new BN (0) passport which has given rise to considerable doubts about ite usefulness is the fact that it will not oarry a direct "holder has the right of abode in Hong Kong" endorsement as does the existing BUTC passport. is that as from 1 July 1997 Britain will cease to have sovereignty and jurisdiction over Hong Kong. From that date it would not be appropriate for Her Majesty's Government to state who has the right of abode in Hong Kong. The right of abode endorsements in BN (0) passports will have to be consistent with the constitutional arrangements agreed in the Joint Declaration if it is to be acceptable after 1997. And members will have seen that Baroness Young, Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, said in reply to a Parliamentary question in the House of Lords yesterday, that the Chinese side at the recant meeting of the Joint Liaison Group had agreed in principle that the wording of the endorsement should be as follows:
"The holder of this passport has Hong Kong identity card
No. so and so which states that the holder has the right
of abode in Hong Kong."
Sir, by these words it will be quite clear that the holder has the right of abode in Hong Kong and that it is his identity oard which specifies his right of abode, not Her Majesty's Government. The Secretary for Security has had informal discussions on the acceptability of the new
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