TNAG-2038-FCO40-2902-Ministerial-visits-from-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong-1991 — Page 11

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fairly wide in order to include companies such as Jardines, which are generally regarded as British but which are not registered in the UK. The intention is to publish a preliminary list of British undertakings in the second half

of January.

7.

A number of British firms were disappointed to learn that, despite the Foreign Secretary's announcement in

December 1989 that there would be an Approved Secondment Scheme (ASS) there was no provision for it in the

Nationality Act. This scheme would have enabled key local

employees of British firms in Hong Kong to qualify for British citizenship on the basis of only two years'

residence in the UK (on secondment) and a further period of

3 years residence in Hong Kong. British firms attach importance to this scheme because it would enable them to

select the employees who would benefit and would not require

their employees to spend as long as 5 years in the UK (as under existing arrangements). Ministers have now agreed to review the position again in a year's time in the light of experience of the operation of the selection scheme and its

effect on British companies. But this decision should not be revealed publicly.

Hong Kong Department

19 December 1990

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