CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELNO 1334
OF 19110OZ JULY 91
INFO ROUTINE BTC HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
RECE
HKD 2/3/1.
29 JUL 1991
DESK OFF.CO
INDEX
37
106207
MDLOAN 8007
TOP COPY Q DIST?
PA
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM PAUL, HKD
BTC PERSONAL FOR HEAP
YOUR TELNO 169: DEPENDENT TERRITORIES WORK PERMIT QUOTA (DTWPQ)
1. YOU WILL BE PLEASED TO HEAR THAT WE HAVE SECURED A SMALL VICTORY FOR HONG KONG. AS YOU WILL RECALL, HONG KONG'S SHARE OF THE QUOTA WAS TO HAVE BEEN ABOLISHED THIS YEAR (AS A SORT OF QUID PRO QUO FOR THE NATIONALITY PACKAGE). WE HAVE (WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY) PERSUADED THE HOME OFFICE AND DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT THAT THERE COULD BE NO DEFENSIBLE REASON FOR ABOLISHING THE DTWPQ ONLY FOR HONG KONG. SO WE SECURED A 4-YEAR GRADUAL PHASE-OUT ENDING IN 1994. THE DECISION IS TO BE ANNOUNCED BY INSPIRED PQ PROBABLY ON 25 JULY (BEFORE THE PARLIAMENTARY RECESS).
2. THIS IS GOOD NEWS. BUT AS THE HONG KONG PUBLIC WERE NOT AWARE THAT MINISTERS HAD AGREED TO END THE QUOTA FOR HONG KONG LAST YEAR, THERE MAY BE SOME DISAPPOINTMENT THAT THE QUOTA IS TO BE PHASED OUT AT ALL. I CERTAINLY HOPE THAT OMELCO WILL NOT INTERPRET THIS AS ANOTHER SLAP IN THE FACE. PERHAPS A DISCREET WORD IN ONE OR TWO EARS MIGHT HEAD OFF ANY
MISUNDERSTANDINGS. (WE ARE BRIEFING LORD CAITHNESS DEFENSIVELY IN CASE THE STORY BREAKS IN HONG KONG WHILE HE IS STILL THERE NEXT WEEK).
HURD
YYYY
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