TNAG-2632-FCO40-3823-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-British-Nationality-(Hong-K-1992 — Page 77

CONFIDENTIAL

(41)

170612

MDLIAN 6474

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 1800

OF 031042Z JULY 92

HKD 340/2

BRITISH NATIONALITY SCHEME

!

SOPS

DIST.?

per

J 2017

1. THE CURRENT PHASE OF THE BRITISH NATIONALITY SCHEME IS DUE TO END ON 1 JANUARY 1994. WE PROPOSE TO START A REVIEW OF THE OPERATION OF THE CURRENT PHASE OF THE BRITISH NATIONALITY SCHEME AND TO START DRAWING UP PLANS FOR THE ALLOCATION OF THE REMAINING 10,639 PLACES IN THE SECOND PHASE OF THE SCHEME.

2. THE MAIN ISSUES TO BE REVIEWED ARE THE METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE QUOTAS FOR DIFFERENT CLASSES AND OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS, THE POSSIBILITY OF TRANSFERRING QUOTAS BETWEEN CLASSES OR OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS, POSSIBLE ADDITIONS TO THE LIST OF APPROVED OCCUPATIONS AND THE POINTS SYSTEM. THERE ARE ALSO A NUMBER OF ISSUES AT THE OPERATIONAL LEVEL AT OUR END WHICH NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. OUR PRELIMINARY VIEWS ARE THAT AMENDMENTS TO THE BRITISH NATIONALITY (HONG KONG) ACT 1990 SHOULD BE AVOIDED IF POSSIBLE. HOWEVER, A NEW ORDER IN COUNCIL WILL BE REQUIRED IF THE RULES GOVERNING THE ALLOCATION OF PLACES UNDER THE SCHEME ARE TO

BE MODIFIED.

3. WE INTEND TO COMMENCE AN INTERNAL REVIEW ON THE OPERATION OF THE SCHEME IN JULY WITH A VIEW TO FINALISING OUR RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE END OF NOVEMBER. WE WILL KEEP YOU AND THE HOME OFFICE INFORMED OF OUR THINKING AS THE REVIEW PROGRESSES, AND WE INTEND TO PRESENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE HOME OFFICE IN DECEMBER SO THAT IF A NEW ORDER IN COUNCIL IS NEEDED IT CAN BE MADE BEFORE THE SUMMER OF 1993. PUBLICITY WILL BE ARRANGED TO EXPLAIN THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE SECOND HALF OF 1993 SO THAT THE SECOND PHASE OF THE SCHEME CAN COMMENCE IN EARLY 1994 AFTER THE END OF THE

FIRST PHASE.

4. BEFORE I PRESENT THE ABOVE PROPOSALS TO THE HOME OFFICE, I WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR COMMENTS ON THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE REVIEW, AND FOR YOUR AGREEMENT THAT WE MAY COMMUNICATE WITH THE HOME OFFICE DIRECT ON MATTERS RELATING TO THE REVIEW WITH COPIES OF CORRESPONDENCE SENT TO YOU.

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