TNAG-2190-FCO40-3127-Hong-Kong-nationality-package-1990 — Page 219

35A

SECRET

SECRET

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 635

OF 19120OZ FEBRUARY 90

PERSONAL FOR PAUL, HKD FROM GOVERNOR

UK NATIONALITY PACKAGE

(99)

156757

MDHIAN 7617

HiCD 340/4

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

1 1 APR 1990

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

REGISTRY

Action Taken

1. I AM GRATEFUL TO MS GRIMSEY AND HER TEAM FOR SPENDING A WEEK HERE TO WORK ON THE NATIONALITY PACKAGE. A LOT OF GROUND WAS COVERED. ON OUR PART WE HAVE MANAGED TO PUT ACROSS A PROPOSED SCHEME WHICH COULD INCLUDE, WITHIN AN OVERALL CEILING OF 50,000 HOUSEHOLDS, THE MAIN ELEMENTS REFERRED TO IN THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S STATEMENT OF DECEMBER 20.

2. GIVEN THE TIGHT NUMERICAL CEILING AND THE MANY COMPETING CLAIMS WE FACE, THE PACKAGE AS PROPOSED PROVIDES VERY LITTLE HEADROOM, PARTICULARLY FOR THE SENSITIVE SERVICE SCHEME. FOR THE SAME REASON WE HAVE ALSO HAD TO REDUCE THE SUCCESS RATE FOR THE DISCIPLINED SERVICES TO ABOUT ONE IN SEVEN RATHER THAN ONE IN FIVE AS AT FIRST ENVISAGED. SEEN FROM HERE ANY FURTHER SQUEEZING OF QUOTAS OR INJECTION OF LESS WELL JUSTIFIED CLAIMS INTO THE PACKAGE, AT THE EXPENSE OF WHAT WE HAVE THUS FAR PROPOSED, WILL INCREASE THE STRAIN ON THE OVERALL PACKAGE. WE HAVE CONSTRUCTED, PERHAPS TO AN INTOLERABLE EXTENT. FOR THIS REASON, YOU MAY WISH TO NOTE THE POINTS WHICH I PUT TO MS GRIMSEY DURING HER VISIT AND WHICH SHE HAS UNDERTAKEN TO REFLECT IN HER SUBMISSION TO MINISTERS LATER THIS WEEK.

Redacted under FOI exemption section 27(1)

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