TNAG-2194-FCO40-3131-Hong-Kong-nationality-package-1990 — Page 223

KONG

HONG

BAR

ATION

SOCIAT

The Hong Kong Bar Association

Secretariat/Library: LG 3/Floor, The Supreme Court, 38 Queensway, Hong Kong.

Telephone: 5-8690210

Fax: 5-8690189

9th February 1990

The Rt Hon the Lord Mackay of Clashdown, M.P.

Lord Chancellor

Lord Chancellor's Department

House of Lords

LONDON SW1A 0PW

England

Dear Lord Mackay,

151124

Re: Right of Abode

Further to our meeting in December when you were over, I am writing in connection with the "Nationality Package" announced by Douglas Hurd in the House of Commons before the Christmas recess and in particular its application to Barristers and other lawyers in Hong Kong.

As you will be aware the proposal is that there should be an allocation of British passports with the full right of abode to residents of Hong Kong. The purpose of the package is to raise the level of confidence in the future of Hong Kong. The intention is that those who would otherwise seek a safety net by acquiring citizenship and right of abode in a democratic country would be encouraged to, and would, stay and work in Hong Kong. The package is, of course, aimed at those whose continued presence in Hong Kong is considered essential to the continued stability in the social order and prosperity of the territory.

I am sure that you will agree that a strong and independent legal profession, and in particular the Bar, is essential to the continued efficient and smooth running of Hong Kong as well as a vital part of the continued maintenance of the liberty and freedom of the subjects. Lawyers in general, and barristers in particular, feel that their role both as defenders of liberty in the courts and as outspoken advocates of basic rights in public, leave themselves especially vulnerable in a regime that may be less than liberal.

The basis of allocation of passports under the package amongst the community has still to be worked out but there are indications that lawyers may receive an

香港大律師公會

Bar Committee Members:

執行委員會會員

金鐘道38號高等法院低層三樓

Anthony Rogers, Q.C. 羅傑志

Mrs Margaret Clough 郭勵敏

Chairman: Robert C. Tang, Q.C.

警長

鄧國楨

Hon. Secretary & Treasurer: Benjamin Yu

名譽秘書及財政

余若海

林韋曼儀

Administrative Secretary: Mrs. Margaret W. Lam 行政秘書

Alan Hoo

胡漢清

Daniel R. Fung

馮華健

Simon Westbrook

韋仕博

Adrian Bell 柏義理

Miss Josephine Pinto 潘素安

Alan Leong

梁家傑

Denis G.Q.C. Yu

余國-

Martin Liao 廖長江

Alexander King

金力生

Johnny Mok

莫生雞

Wong Yan Lung

黃仁龍