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BACKGROUND NOTE
HKK
040/17
FILE.
6
1.
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A Hong Kong Bill was introduced
introduced into Parliament on
on 10 January.
It completed its Committee, Report and Third Reading Stages in the
House of Commons on 6 February. The Committee and Report stages in
the House of Lords were completed
were completed on 14 March and the Third Reading
is scheduled for 28 March. We expect to be able to exchange
instruments
of
ratification with the Chinese in Peking well before
the deadline of 30 June 1985.
2.
The Bill provides for:
the termination of British sovereignty and jurisdiction over Hong
Kong as from 1 July 1997;
subsequent Orders in Council to amend British nationality law and
to adapt other laws affecting Hong Kong;
privileges and immunities to be accorded in the UK to Chinese
members of the Joint Liaison Group which will be established in
accordance with the Agreement.
3. There are currently some 11,500 Vietnamese refugees in Hong
Kong. Arrivals continue. At the present resettlement rate, Hong
Kong is likely to have a sizeable refugee problem for some years.
Resettlement countries see Hong Kong's refugee problem as a matter
on which HMG should take a lead before they will increase their own
resettlement levels from Hong Kong. The Home Affairs Select
Committee's Sub-Committee on Race Relations and Immigration have
been examining the Vietnamese refugee problem in Hong Kong and their
report, which may recommend that
that more refugees be accepted from Hong
Kong by the UK, is expected in April.
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