TNAG-2193-FCO40-3130-Hong-Kong-nationality-package-1990 — Page 162

CONFIDENTIAL

113017 MDHIAN 2464

IN BRADFORD. I DOUBT THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE SHOWN THEIR SUPPORT FOR BRITAIN IN SUCH DRAMATIC WAYS WILL FIND A PLACE WITHIN THESE DISCRETIONARY SYSTEMS IF THEY ARE TOTALLY ADMINISTERED BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WITH NO BRITISH GOVERNMENT INPUT: THERE IS AT ANY RATE NO INDICATION THAT SUCH CONSIDERATIONS WILL FEATURE IN THESE PARTS OF THE SCHEME.

6. I HAVE ARGUED THAT IT WOULD BE EASIER TO MEET SOME OF THESE CONCERNS IF ANY HOME OFFICE OFFICIALS SENT TO HELP SET UP AND OPERATE THE SCHEME WERE BASED IN THIS OFFICE. YOU TELL ME THAT THIS IS UNLIKELY TO HAPPEN. I THEREFORE SUGGEST THAT WE SHOULD LOOK FOR SOME OTHER WAY OF MAKING AN INPUT E.G. BY HAVING AN HMG REPRESENTATIVE A FULL AND PARTICIPATING MEMBER OF ANY GROUP THAT DECIDES ANY OF THE DISCRETIONARY ELEMENTS IN THE ALLOCATION, OR BY MAKING SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO BRITISH COMMERCIAL INTERESTS, OR GENEROSITY TOWARDS THE UK, AS GROUNDS FOR AWARDING OF ADDITIONAL POINTS OR IN A FEW CASES THE OUTRIGHT AWARD OF A PASSPORT.

COMMENTS

7. MY COMMENTS IN PARA 4 ABOVE SHOULD NOT BE SEEN TO INDICATE THAT I AM IN ANY WAY IGNORING THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE, WHICH I FULLY RECOGNISE IS TO HELP HONG KONG COMBAT THE BRAIN DRAIN AND REMAIN A STRONG AND VIBRANT ECONOMIC FORCE. I CONTEND HOWEVER THAT THAT IS NOT AT ALL INCOMPATIBLE WITH GIVING A SIGNIFICANT EDGE TO BRITISH INTERESTS WHEN THE PASSPORTS ARE BEING ALLOCATED. AFTER OUR MEETING MR LLOYD SAID HE WAS SURPRISED TO FIND AN FCO REPRESENTATIVE SO CONCERNED WITH BRITISH INTERESTS AND THAT THAT WAS NOT OUR REPUTATION. I HOPE THAT MORE CAN BE DONE YET TO INJECT SOME FURTHER ELEMENT OF SUPPORT FOR OUR INTERESTS IN THE SCHEME. AS A MINIMUM COULD WE NOT SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE THE NUMBER OF POINTS FOR BRITISH CONNECTIONS.

8. IT IS ALSO DISAPPOINTING THAT ONLY VERY MINOR CONSIDERATION APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO BRITISH GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES. SERVICE WITH E.G. THE TRADE COMMISSION OR BRITISH COUNCIL APPEARS TO BE LISTED AS ONE OF THE ELEMENTS IN ''BRITISH CONNECTIONS'' WITH A CHANCE TO QUALIFY FOR THE 50 POINTS. WE HAVE IN THIS OFFICE ONE MEMBER OF STAFF WHO HAS WORKED WITH US FOR THIRTY YEARS AND EIGHT MORE WHO HAVE WORKED WITH US FOR OVER TWENTY YEARS. NONE WILL AMASS MANY POINTS, ASIDE FROM THIS CONNECTION, AND SO IT SEEMS LIKELY THAT NONE WILL QUALIFY. I UNDERSTOOD THAT CONSIDERATION WAS BEING GIVEN EARLIER TO A SPECIAL SMALL CATEGORY FOR PEOPLE WHO HAD GIVEN SUCH LONG AND LOYAL SERVICE TO THE UK GOVERNMENT. COULD THIS STILL NOT BE DONE ?

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