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b) give an idea of how the scheme will work in practice.
Annex A is a provisional draft setting this out in general terms. I intend that something along these
lines should be available to Parliament at the time of
introduction of the Bill, although that document would
need to be less specific about what was proposed for 'the sensitive services' - see paragraph 31 below; and
c)
invite colleagues to agree the line which I propose
should be taken in one Or two areas of potential
difficulty.
Approved Secondment Scheme
3. One
One feature of the Foreign Secretary's announcement December was a proposed secondment scheme, whereby people could
earn British citizenship by a total of five
total of five years residence,
partly in the UK and partly in Hong Kong. My letter of 31
January indicated that we had heard there might be a lack of
interest in the scheme amongst companies in Hong Kong now they
knew that participants granted citizenship would have to count
against the 50,000 ceiling. Officials visiting Hong Kong last
month took the opportunity to sound out seven of those who had previously expressed an interest. All of them expressed strong
disappointment that the scheme was to be included within the
50,000 total, rather than to be available as an 'extra'. Two of
the seven said that they would be unlikely to participate in
these circumstances; the other five indicated a continuing
interest, though not necessarily for large numbers.
4 .
I
The Hong Kong Government, and the Governor personally,
however, are firmly opposed to such a scheme within the 50,000
that valuable assurances should
should not
not be
participating
package. They argue
reserved for those who happen to work for a
organisation at the expense of
of other, perhaps more worthy,
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