TNAG-2047-FCO40-2917-Visits-by-staff-of-the-Department-of-Trade-and-Industry-to-H-1990 — Page 56

a risk that increasing these points would distort the

ratio in favour of the public sector. Nevertheless Home

Office and FCO officials are still considering the

issue.

(e) Non-British Spouses of HKG Officials and Police.

The Home Office are considering the Governor's request

that the Home Secretary should use his powers (under

Section 6(2) of the British Nationality Act 1981) to

naturalise the spouses of some 100 British citizens

serving as HKG civil servants and policemen.

(f) Approved Secondment Scheme (ASS). The British

business community are very keen on an idea floated at an early stage of the scheme but abandoned in the final

draft. This would have allowed a two year secondment in

the UK together with three years service in Hong Kong to

count towards naturalisation. the attraction to firms

is that, unlike the Selection Scheme, it gives them the

choice of which staff will benefit.

(g) Changes to the Immigration Rules. A number of people in Hong Kong who have Indefinite Leave to Enter

or Remain (ILR) in the UK are concerned that the 1 May

changes in the Immigration Rules will make it harder for

them to retain this status. While it has never been

intended that people who are not ordinarily resident in

the UK should retain ILR, we are keen that the Rules

should operate sensibly, and the changes should not

cause damage to confidence in Hong Kong. Evidence to

date indicates that more Hong Kong people have been accepted into the UK as returning residents since the changes there in the same period last year.

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