TNAG-2635-FCO40-3826-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-British-undertakings-1992 — Page 27

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Management in Confidence

ther Woodrow,

Salajeer

to the Cox's

„Viens, Think his should best issue (ppid) from

from me.

Ju 7/8

S P Day Esq

British Trade Commission

Hong Kong

7 August 1992

2. You raised

a number of points [STET]

in

amy official copacity

X

we assume

relish the prospect of pegafrequently

I am very sorry that you

reply

BRITISH NATIONALITY SCHEME

1.

to

have not had

an eatier

By cater to Nigel Cox. This haremmismative

mislaid because tam song no to have replied carber t

Thank you for your letter of 9 June/in which you asked foul up in

my section. Governor's Steering Committee on the British Nationality There is no Scheme I will try to answer these in the same order that you' have put them.

fortain questions about your responsibilities in the

exone, I

сат

-only apologise.

As

3. You are quite right in thinking that you do not represent

the British Government per se on the Steering Committee. you say your role is not to represent either the Home Secretary or the Secretary of State. The Steering Committee is an advisory body to the Governor and your predecessor was invite to participate in it in order to reassure British Companies so saw that their interests would be taken into account.

But there was also a presentational advantage in having ritish an HME presence -representation on a Committee which would otherwise consist

solely of Hong Kong orientated people. So in that latter, unofficial sense,

Mr Heap's descriptim is fot altogether incorrect.

Brittel Undertakings

3.

on

miste

We were unaware that the Advisory Committee of British businessmen set up to judge which Companies should be defined as British had been formally disbanded. We are certainly in favour of keeping it in existence for the reasons you give. we understand However this need only be on an ad hoc basis as the members of the Committee were dismayed at the amount of work involved, and may not wish to continue participating in the meetings, if they are held regularly. There is probably no need for this now in any case.

4.

Dur Legal Advisers) in consultation with our legal advisers.

considered than

A set of guidelines for the committee was indeed drawn up

I attach a copy. this the best insurance we have against judicial review of the Governor's exercise of discretion under the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1990. I agree that the deliberations of the Committee should be kept confidential but I expect that the existence of the Committee itself is well known by now.

let.day.BTC

JEB

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