TNAG-2378-FCO40-3457-Hong-Kong-nationality-British-Nationality-(Hong-Kong)-Act-19-1991 — Page 236

CONFIDENTIAL

To

PS/Minister for Trade

Cc PS/SOS

PS/Sir P Gregson

Mr Dell

From

David Love

Hd OT2/2

V/347

215 5374

December 1990

Mr Adams

PEP

Mr Meadway OT2

Mr Rogers PEP

Mr Johnston C

Mr Lewis

Miss Gray

Mr Paul HKD, FCO

Mr Morris HKD, FCO

BRITISH NATIONALITY (HONG KONG) ACT 1990: LIST OF BRITISH UNDERTAKINGS

Issue

The Minister should note the action being taken to agree a list of British undertakings for use by the Hong Kong Immigration Department when processing applications for British citizenship under the scheme for key business personnel within the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1990.

Timing

Routine, though if the Minister has any concerns we will need to clear them up before the list is published in Hong Kong in January.

Argument

1 There has been no difficulty with the vast majority of the cases considered by the Advisory Group to the Governor. Their task is to decide whether he should regard them as "British" undertakings under the Act.

2 There are howevera few difficult categories of case. For these the Advisory Group had adopted the following criteria, with which we and FCO officials agree:

(a)

Companies whose ownership has been affected by take-overs

Companies which are now British-owned should qualify, including service in any period when they were not British-owned; companies, like Leyland Bus or Coates Brothers, who continue to have a wholly British flavour,

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