TNAG-2192-FCO40-3129-Hong-Kong-nationality-package-1990 — Page 167

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package. They argue that valuable assurances should not be

reserved for those who happen

happen to work for a participating organisation at the expense of other, perhaps more worthy, candidates who do not. They are also concerned that a process

of nomination by companies would open up risks of corruption.

Their view and I see some strength in it is that young people

likely to be moving into key positions can more fairly be dealt

with in the allocation of the second tranche of the 50,000

places, nearer to 1997.

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5. My own view is that the balance of advantage lies in not

proceeding with the secondment scheme. That view is based not

simply on the arguments in the last paragraph but more

particularly on the practicalities.

The administrative

procedures involved in assessing the bona fides of organisations

wishing to participate, approving their schemes and allocating

the available places between them would be cumbersome and

disproportionate to the relatively small numbers (500 or even

1,000) who might benefit (see paragraph 36-46 of Annex A). The

areas of discretion given to me in selecting participating

organisations, for example, and allocating the available places between them would put me, rather than the Governor, at the

centre of this one aspect of the citizenship scheme and would

give scope for challenge by way of judicial review in the UK; and

the inclusion of the secondment scheme would undoubtedly

complicate the drafting of the Bill and hamper our chances of

early introduction. I recommend, therefore, that we do not

proceed with this proposal, but point to the later tranche of

applications under the general scheme as a more appropriate way

of dealing with those moving into key positions in the future.

THE SELECTION SCHEME

6.

If the approved secondment scheme is dropped, the selection

scheme will have four components:

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