TNAG-1899-FCO40-2697-Future-of-Hong-Kong-briefing-1989 — Page 58

CO YAHC

CONFIDENTIAL

HKD 340/3

PS/Lord Glenarthur

From:

CO Hum

مانا

Hong Kong Department

Date: 16 January 1989

CC:

Private Secretary

Mr Gillmore

Mr McLaren

Mr Holt, PRU

HONG KONG NATIONALITY:

LORD FANSHAWE

M'

1.

He said he had

Lord Fanshawe telephoned me this morning. seen press reports suggesting that only very few Crown servants in Hong Kong were being granted citizenship under the British

Nationality Act. Was this true?

2.

I said it had always been envisaged that only very sparing

use would be made of Section 4(5). But I went on to recall the

statement made in the House of Lords on 10 December 1984 which

signalled that vulnerable categories in Hong Kong were being looked

after through the Home Secretary's discretion to grant rights of

admission. I said that Lord Glenarthur would be writing to the

Times to set the record straight.

3.

Lord Fanshawe said he was fairly reassured by this, but he

felt the Government's position should be more clearly on record.

He wondered whether it would be helpful to table a question for

reply in the House of Lords. I said that the position was a highly

CONFIDENTIAL