HONG KONG'S PROPOSED SCHEME
6. The scheme which Hong Kong now propose on the basis of this
advice is apparently similar in concept to their recent identity card exercise, with cut off dates being set by age group. They
envisage an Order-in-Council being introduced into Parliament at
the end of this year and approved by May 1993. This would deal
only with BN (0) cut off dates and the first such date would be
September 1993 for 22-26 year olds. It would provide for nine
further cut off dates at three to five month intervals for
different age groups.
The last of these would be end of December
1996 for 0-4 year olds. The Order would provide for the Governor
to have discretion to accept late applications where applicants
have good reason for not applying by their cut off date.
At a
somewhat later date they see a further Order being made setting
a single cut off date (May 1995 or 1996) for the acquisition of
BDTC. The scheme would require a build up to 303 additional
posts in the Hong Kong
Kong Immigration Department costing an
estimated HK$ 114 million. These costs would be offset by
revenue from passport fees of about HK$ 270 million.
COMMENTS ON SCHEME
7. We have strong reservations about the idea of having two
separate Orders in Council on this subject. Apart from it being
more efficient to deal with the matter in one go it would be
advisable in our view not to provide more than one opportunity
to those MPs who might with to re-open the controversial issues
that were raised during the passage of the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1990. It would in any case hardly be possible
to have a debate on BN (0) cut off dates without going into what
was intended with regard to BDTC status. It would be much better
in our view to deal with the whole issue at one and the same
time.
8.
Secondly, we have our doubts about the reaction in Hong Kong
to the speed of introduction of the BN (0) cut off dates. Hong
Kong say that the programme must start in mid-1993 to allow
sufficient time for the numbers involved to be processed but we
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.