TNAG-2374-FCO40-3449-Hong-Kong-nationality-UK-passport-scheme-British-Nationalit-1991 — Page 17

9 April

H J Walton-Masters Esq

2 Downs Road

Westbury-on-Trym

BRISTOL

BS9 3TX

JPLA LC

Thank you for your letter of 14 March to the Secretary of

State for Wales, which he has passed to me, as Minister

responsible for Hong Kong matters. Mr Michael Stern MP

has also written to me on your behalf.

It is helpful to learn of the views of some of your

former colleagues in the Hong Kong Civil Service about

the British Nationality Scheme. It seems that a number of them are based upon mis-conceptions, and I welcome the opportunity to clarify matters.

1

agree

We do not feel that the response to the Scheme was poor;

on the contrary, 43,250 places were available in the first tranche and at the latest count (including some late-arrived postal applications) there were 65,796 applications in other words, the Scheme was over 50%

over-subscribed. Nor do I agree that it is a "problem"

that people did not apply unless they had a real chance of success. The British Nationality Scheme is designed

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FARAHR

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