TNAG-2193-FCO40-3130-Hong-Kong-nationality-package-1990 — Page 91

*

CONFIDENTIAL

Statement on the Manpower and Public Expenditure Implications of the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Bill

Summary

1.

It is expected that 43,000 families will be recommended by

the Governor for British citizenship under the Bill during the

financial years 1991/2 to 1992/3. Applying an average family

size of 2.3 the number of individual recommendations to be

processed will be of the order of 100,000 or 50,000 in each year.

While

2. In assessing the number of UK staff needed in Hong Kong in

order to process these recommendations we have taken account of

the fact that registration will be almost automatic and will be

based on a brief case summary forwarded by the Governor. considerable uncertainties about the details of the arrangements

prevent a precise calculation our best estimate is that the team

may need to comprise one Grade 7, three HEOS and three EOS at a

cost of £800,000 per annum at forecast 1989/90 Hong Kong cost

levels.

The Hong Kong Government will provide office

accommodation and clerical support and will be required under the

Bill to reimburse to the Secretary of State his expenditure on

the UK team, the receipts to be paid into the Consolidated Fund.

3.

The administration of the selection scheme, which will be

a much larger exercise than the processing of recommendations,

will fall entirely to the Hong Kong Government and will not

affect UK manpower or running costs.

4. The Governor will be empowered to impose application and

registration fees. He intends to set these at a level sufficient

to recover the costs of administration, including that element

of the work which will fall to the Secretary of State.

5.

In order to cope with the expected increase in demand for

British citizen passports in Hong Kong facility will be

CONFIDENTIAL