SECRET
HKC340/1
RECEIVER
CISTRY
26 MAR 1990
FM FCO
DESK G-FICER
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
.STRY
INDLA
PA
Action Taken
TELNO 642
OF 23190OZ
MARCH 90
AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
UKREP G HONG KONG
Pa
20
117655
MDHOAN 5760
OUR TELNO 621: UK NATIONALITY SCHEME: BRIEFING THE CHINESE: DRAFT SPEAKING NOTE ON THE PACKAGE AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION AS FOLLOWS:
DESCRIPTION OF THE NATIONALITY SCHEME AND HOW IT WILL BE
IMPLEMENTED
1.
ON 20 DECEMBER SIR ALAN DONALD GAVE GUO FENGMIN A SUMMARY OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S STATEMENT TO PARLIAMENT. HE EXPLAINED THAT HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT HAD CONCLUDED THAT IT WAS WAS NECESSARY TO TAKE ACTION TO STEM THE EMIGRATION FROM HONG KONG OF KEY PERSONNEL, AND SO FULFIL OUR COMMITMENT UNDER PARAGRAPH 4 OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, TO PRESERVE AND MAINTAIN THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF THE TERRITORY.
2.
THE WORK OF FINALISING THE DETAILS OF THE NECESSARY LEGISLATION HAS NOW BEEN COMPLETED. THE BILL WHICH, WILL BECOME THE BRITISH NATIONALITY (HONG KONG) ACT 1990, WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS ON 4 APRIL.
3
THE ACT WILL GIVE THE HOME SECRETARY POWERS TO GRANT BRITISH CITIZENSHIP TO UP TO 50,000 KEY PERSONNEL, ON THE BASIS OF RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE GOVERNOR AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SCHEME. HE MAY ALSO GIVE BRITISH CITIZENSHIP TO THE SPOUSES AND CHILDREN UNDER 18 OF THE PRINCIPAL BENEFICIARIES.
4.
IN SELECTING THOSE FOR RECOMMENDATION THE GOVERNOR WILL BE ASSISTED BY A STEERING GROUP, CHAIRED BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY AND SUPPORTED BY THE INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION.
DISTRIBUTION
5.
SELECTION WILL OPERATE IN TWO TRANCHES. ABOUT 86 PER CENT OF PLACES WILL BE DISTRIBUTED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. SO THAT EARLY CONFIDENCE CAN BE GIVEN TO KEY PERSONNEL WHO MIGHT OTHERWISE LEAVE. THE REMAINING 14 PER CENT WILL BE RESERVED FOR NEARER TO 1997 TO CATER FOR THOSE WHO MOVE INTO KEY POSITIONS AND TO GIVE THOSE WHO FAILED THE FIRST TIME A SECOND CHANCE.
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