TNAG-2194-FCO40-3131-Hong-Kong-nationality-package-1990 — Page 138

DRAFT

CONFIDENTIAL

BRITISH NATIONALITY (HONG KONG) BILL 1990: SELECTION FOR CITIZENSHIP

Explanatory Note

1.

Under the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Bill the Secretary of State (in effect the Home Secretary) would be empowered to

grant registration as a British citizen to up to 50,000 heads of

households in Hong Kong. He would do So on the basis of

recommendations made by the Governor of Hong Kong in accordance

with the provisions laid down by the Bill. The Home Secretary

would not register a person whom he had reason to believe was not

of good character or who had ceased to be eligible.

2.

Once the Bill, which is an enabling measure, had been passed by Parliament, the proposed selection mechanism ("the Scheme")

for identifying the 50,000 recipients, would be set out in an

Order in Council which would be presented to both Houses for

approval. The purpose of this Note is to provide Parliament with

an explanation of how it is envisaged that such a Scheme would

operate.

THE SCHEME

3. The Scheme would comprise four sections:

the GENERAL ALLOCATION SECTION (GAS);

the KEY ENTREPRENEURS SECTION (KES);

CONFIDENTIAL