TNAG-1848-FCO40-2623-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 49

encouraging large numbers of Hong Kong residents to come to the UK. Nor

could any Government give an open-ended commitment to 3% million people to

accept them at any time into the UK. Provision already exists under the

Immigration Rules for those who wish to come to this country to work or

engage in business. Those who are able to fulfil the residence requirements

of the 1981 Act have an avenue to British citizenship. The Act gives the

Home Secretary no power to grant citizenship to people who are not resident

in the UK, except for those in Crown service who are a special case.

10 -