TNAG-2189-FCO40-3126-Hong-Kong-nationality-package-1990 — Page 168

INTRODUCTION

SECRET

INSTRUCTIONS TO PARLIAMENTARY COUNSEL

HONG KONG

CITIZENSHIP BILL

0.1 In the light of the massacre in Peking last June and the increasing loss of confidence about the prospects for Hong Kong after 1997, Ministers have decided to introduce

introduce a Bill this session enabling British citizenship to be granted to 50,000 key personnel in Hong Kong. The purpose of granting citizenship to such people would be to "anchor" them in Hong Kong and to stem the flow of emigration from the Colony in the run-up to 1997.

0.2 The broad outline of the Government's proposals is set out in the Foreign Secretary's statement of 20 December 1989 to the House of Commons. In that statement the Foreign Secretary said that the necessary

the necessary legislation would be introduced "at the earliest opportunity" and it is proposed that the Bill should be introduced immediately [after] [before] the Easter recess.

0.3 In these Instructions the following abbreviations are used: -

BC

BOC

HK

BDTC

HK BDTC

t

1

British citizen(ship)

British Overseas citizen (ship)

Hong Kong

British Dependent Territories citizen

a person who is a British Dependent Territories citizen

citizen by virtue of a connection with HK

the 1971 Act

the Immigration Act 1971 (c. 77) amended by the BNA)

(as

SECRET