TNAG-1849-FCO40-2624-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 33

TRANSCRIPT I

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SELECT COMMITTER OF HONG KONG 24 MAY 1989

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MR RENTON (COFT):

I have to say that in general terms, bar some room

for minor movement on the very specific categories to

which Mr Temple-Morris was referring, that would be ny

judgment Mr Rowlands as well at the moment.

MR ROWLANDS:

That you cannot find a middle way?

MR REATON:

Let us look for a moment at some of the

possibilities.

I do not see, and I get the impression

from the views of your Committee so far that you do not

either, I do not see that we can grant British citizenship

to 3.25 million BDTCs.

The British Nationality Act would certainly not

allow us to do 60, I do not myself think it is a practical

political solution to suggest that we could actually so

amend the Act through the Bause of Commone to achieve

that.

I do not also think, and I have to say this to you

fairly, that we can contemplate very large-scale

immigration for eventual settlement purposes to this

country from Hong Kong. It would run into this crowded

island totally contrary to what successive governments

have sought to do in controlling primary immigration over

the past 20 years