TNAG-2633-FCO40-3824-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-British-Nationality-(Hong-K-1992 — Page 8

durs Bornes Jones, Air Woodrow

See Telmo 1773

You are pursting fle follow-up to this.

^31/12

Бак

DIE

10 DOWNING STREET

LONDON SW1A 2AA

HKD

Cc: Ps

Ps/Mer Goodlad NTED

Ffa 30/12

THE PRIME MINISTER

24 December 1992

тра

Mr. Harms,

HKD 348/2

Thank you for your letter of 29 October.

I am keen to do all I can to help companies such as your

own play your full part in Britain's economic recovery. I have therefore looked closely into the background to your problem. Applications for British Citizenship are assessed in accordance with the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1990.

Applicants acquire points under a rigorous system on the basis

of their age, experience, education and other criteria set out

in this Act. Those who fail to gain a place under the first

phase of the scheme can apply again in the second phase which

is tentatively scheduled to begin in 1994.

As far as your own employees are concerned, I am told that their applications were both properly considered under the criteria set out in the legislation. I understand that

the occupational group under which they applied was particularly competitive.

I well understand the difficulties which your company

faces as a result of the uncertainty over these two key

employees. But there is simply no provision in the

legislation for discretion to be exercised on any individual

application within the General Occupational Class. I do not