TNAG-1849-FCO40-2624-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 59

24 MAY 89 23:34

FROM COI TECH RADIO

TRANSCRIPT J: SELECT COMMITTER RB HONG KONG 24 MAY 1989

-22-

PAGE.023/05E

MR. NORRIS:.

normal

as

We would handle those applications under our

immigration rules, Mr. Rowlands, quite simply which is,

you will know, that is normally we only admit now for

settlement either spouses or fiancees who comes in the

provisional basis but if the marriage is still subsisting

after twelve months the conditions on their stay are

removed, or dependant children which is generally those

under 18 and clearly dependent therefore on parents in the

We do not admit in family or very elderly relatives.

the category of brothers and sisters and that would apply

to Hong Kong as indeed to other parts of the world.

MR. TIK ROVLANDS:

If you were looking for a middle way, might not this

be a possible area where you could actually acknowledge

the relative uniqueness of the situation that Hong Kong

finds itself in and people who live in Hong Kong are finding themselves? And besides the general description

of immigration rules you have given, that you might have a

variation on that in respect of people in Hong Kong who

have family connections here

brother or sister?