CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 03003OZ HONG KONG
TELNO 716
OF 021650Z APRIL 90
DECONFIDENTIAL
(28)
147077
MDHOAN 6357
нако
34014
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY 0 1 JUN 1990
D
REGISTRY
Action Taken
INDEX
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM MCLAREN, AUSS
(278)
YOUR TELNO 1129 : UK NATIONALITY SCHEME : COMPOSITION OF STEERING GROUP
1.
IN THE EVENT, THE MEETING WITH HOME OFFICE OFFICIALS ARRANGED FOR TODAY WAS PRE-EMPTED BY A SERIES OF TELEPHONE CONVERSATIONS ON 30 MARCH. WE EXPLAINED THE ADVANTAGES OF INCLUDING THE SBTC IN THE GROUP AS SEEN FROM HERE, MAKING IT CLEAR THAT WE HAD NOT YET RECEIVED YOUR VIEWS. THE HOME OFFICE UNDERTOOK TO CONSULT THE HOME SECRETARY.
2. THE HOME SECRETARY HAS NOT YET GIVEN HIS REACTION (YOU WILL HAVE SEEN THAT HE HAS HAD OTHER PREOCCUPATIONS OVER THE WEEKEND). NOR HAVE WE BEEN ABLE TO PUT THE POINTS IN YOUR TUR TO FCO MINISTERS: THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND MR MAUDE ARE BOTH ABROAD TODAY. BUT MR MAUDE'S FAIRLY STRONG INITIAL VIEW LAST WEEK WAS THAT IT WOULD BE RIGHT FOR PETER HEAP TO BE A MEMBER OF THE GROUP. I AM NOT SURE THAT HE WILL BE WHOLLY CONVINCED BY THE ARGUMENTS IN YOUR TUR.
3. I CAN SEE THAT PETER HEAP'S MEMBERSHIP OF THE GROUP COULD LEAD TO SOME SNIPING BY THE HONG KONG MEDIA. BUT ANY SUGGESTION THAT THIS SHOWED THAT THE SCHEME WAS DESIGNED TO SERVE UK ECONOMIC INTERESTS COULD BE COUNTERED QUITE EASILY BY POINTING TO THE FACT THAT HEAP WOULD ONLY BE ONE MEMBER OUT OF TEN. 4. I DON'T SEE WHY MEMBERSHIP OF THE GROUP NEED PUT PETER HEAP
IN AN AWKWARD POSITION. IT IS TRUE THAT HE IS A BRITISH OFFICIAL RESPONSIBLE TO THE FCO/DTI AND NOT TO THE GOVERNOR. BUT THAT OUGHT NOT TO PRECLUDE HIS MEMBERSHIP OF A COMMITTEE ADVISING YOU ON THE ISSUE OF FULL BRITISH PASSPORTS IN CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH ARE WITHOUT PRECEDENT. HIS DIRECT CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION TO HMG ARE SURELY IRRELEVANT: ALL THE SELECTION OF INDIVIDUALS WILL BE DONE IN HONG KONG.
5. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT VIEW THE HOME SECRETARY WILL TAKE OF THE
POINT IN YOUR PARAGRAPH 1. HE MAY SEE NO SUBSTANTIVE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SBTC AND A HOME OFFICE OFFICIAL WHERE
THE RISKS OF JUDICIAL REVIEW ARE CONCERNED. IF SO, WE MAY HAVE TO DROP THE IDEA ANYWAY.BUT IN UK TERMS, THE SBTC WOULD BE A MUCH MORE
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CONFIDENTIAL
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