TNAG-1849-FCO40-2624-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 135

NTY/89 387/0/2

PROGRESS

HONG KONG

IN IMPLEMENTING THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION OF 1984 ON

Memorandum submitted by the Home Office

Immigration and nationality issues

Introduction

1. The Memorandum submitted by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office summarised,

in section XII, the current nationality position of British Dependent

Territories citizens (BDTCS) resident in Hong Kong and described the

introduction of the new status of British National (Overseas) (BN(0)) which

will replace BDTC status on 1 July 1997.

2. A number of individuals and organisations have raised immigration and

nationality matters in evidence to the Committee and this Memorandum deals

with some of the points raised.

3. The most common demand is that Hong Kong people should have British

citizenship and/or the right of abode in the UK. Some of those who advocate

this do so on the basis that it would give Hong Kong people the security to

remain in Hong Kong up to and after 1997 because they would know that, if

events led them to wish to do so, they could come to the UK. It has been

said that the vast majority of the 3% million people who could expect to

benefit from such a concession do not actually want to come to the UK. They

want to remain in Hong Kong and expect to do so. They want, however, an

unrestricted right to come to this country as an "insurance policy".

4.

The Foreign & Commonwealth Secretary has already said to the Committee

that it would be neither sensible nor acceptable to Parliament to give over

3 million people an automatic right to enter this country. As he also said

in response to questions from members of the Committee (page 26 of the

minutes of evidence of 22 March 1989) it has not been possible to identify a

middle way short of accepting this demand in full.

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