TNAG-2632-FCO40-3823-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-British-Nationality-(Hong-K-1992 — Page 47

CONFIDENTIAL

First

"nearer to 1997" We are inclined to agree with you that it would

defeat the object of the scheme for it to be much later.

though we would like to be clear that this timing would not be

any.

time me to 1997.

prejudicial to "people taking up sensitive posts near the end of

Our understanding is

that invitations to such people can go out at the period". [Presumably invitations to such people could go out

later than April 1994 if need be. We agree incidentally that the

Home Office team could if necessary operate on skeleton basis

during the first few months of 1994.

4. I am happy with the timing of your proposed visit but I

think we would need to meet in London rather than Liverpool. FCO

officials and lawyers are based in London as are Home Office

lawyers and my Assistant Under-Secretary. They may wish, or

need, to take part and the numbers involved would suggest that

London would be a more economical venue. Please let me know what

sort of dates you have in mind and whether you would like us to

make arrangements for your accommodation.

5. You raised while I was in Hong Kong, as did Ian Strachan on

his visit here, the likely shortfall in registrations. You

wondered whether we should attempt to do anything about this, for

instance by increasing the number of Principal Beneficiaries to

75,000 to allow for all 225,000 places to be taken up. Having

now researched the matter I conclude that we should not. I

attach for your own and Ian Strachan's benefit (he asked for

these while he was here) a number of extracts from Hansard

IB.2/JM

CONFIDENTIAL