TNAG-1562-FCO40-2126-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 91

CONFIDENTIAL

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II)

III)

OPEN TO THE PRESS AND THE PUBLIC, AND IS A MATTER OF

PUBLIC RECORD.

OUR PRESENT INTENTION IS THAT ALL THE NATIONALITY PROVISIONS WILL BE COVERED UNDER A SINGLE ORDER, WHICH WOULD BE ASSESSED AND DEBATED AS A SINGLE PACKAGE.

WE CANNOT CONCEIVE THAT PROVISIONS OF THIS IMPORTANCE WOULD NOT BE A MATTER FOR FULL DEBATE, ALMOST CERTAINLY ON THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE. EVEN IF THERE

WAS NO DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN PARTIES, THE LEVEL OF PARLIAMENTARY AND PUBLIC INTEREST WOULD NO DOUBT

REQUIRE THIS.

3. WHERE THE TIMETABLE FOR THE BILL IS CONCERNED, EXCO MAY FIND IT HELPFUL TO HAVE AN ACCOUNT OF THE SEQUENCE OF STEPS, WHICH IS

AS FOLLOWS:

HOUSE OF COMMONS

A) FIRST READING (INTRODUCTION: A FORMALITY WITHOUT DEBATE) B) SECOND READING (THE OCCASION FOR FULL DEBATE OF THE BILL'S GENERAL PRINCIPLES).

THE DATE FOR THE SECOND READING IS SETTLED BY THE OFFICES OF THE CHIEF WHIP AND THE LEADER OF THE HOUSE, HAVING REGARD TO GOVERNMENT BUSINESS ON THE ONE HAND AND THE NEED TO GIVE MEMBERS TIME TO STUDY THE BILL ON THE OTHER. THE CONVENTION IS FOR TWO WEEKENDS TO BE ALLOWED BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND

READINGS.

C) COMMITTEE STAGE (LINE-BY-LINE SCRUTINY OF THE BILL). MOST GOVERNMENT BILLS ARE COMMITTED AFTER SECOND READING TO A STANDING COMMITTEE. ALTERNATIVELY THE BILL CAN BE TAKEN BY A COMMITTEE OF THE FULL HOUSE IF SPEED IS ESSENTIAL AND/OR IF THE BILL IS OF MAJOR CONSTITUTIONAL IMPORTANCE. WE BELIEVE THAT THIS LATTER COURSE IS LIKELY TO BE FOLLOWED

IN THE CASE OF THE HONG KONG BILL.

D) REPORT STAGE (CONSIDERATION OF ANY AMENDMENTS INTRODUCED AT THE COMMITTEE STAGE).

IT IS DESIRABLE FOR THERE TO BE TWO WEEKENDS BETWEEN THE COMMITTEE STAGE AND THE REPORT STAGE. IF THE BILL IS PASSED UNAMENDED BY A COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE HOUSE, THERE IS NO

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