23701 ክሪ 17.29
700
E.R.
HKD 34016
8 FEB 1992
ZB
CC
- Hic pps
Miss Wilkinson
Mr Yates
Mr McQueen
Mrs Kellas
Mr Miller- Mr Griffiths Mr Scott Mr Grantham
ck Milli
HONG KONG : MR LLOYD'S MEETING WITH DR LEONG AND MR LANG, 14 JANUARY 1992
Mr Lloyd met Dr Leong on 14 January to discuss the position of children of Hong Kong residents born outside the UK before 1.1.83. Also present were Mr Lang of OMELCO, Mrs Kellas, Mг Griffiths and myself.
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Dr Leong opened the meeting by outlining the situation in Hong Kong regarding British Nationality. reported that while the exodus from the territory continued, the flow had slowed. No doubt the British Nationality Scheme had played a part in this. Dr Leong felt that many people had decided to remain because of the security of having another nationality. Canadian and Australian citizenships were popular and significant numbers had returned from these countries after gaining nationality.
3. Turning to the issue of nationality for children, Dr Leong believed that the number involved was small. A number of of 222 families had approached him and as at 9.1.92 a total children had been identified, all of whom were born before 1.1.83 but were still under 18. While there would undoubtedly be more, he did not think that there could possibly be more than about 100 - 200 extra children, and it was probably more likely that the 222 who had already come forward accounted for the majority of those involved. He considered the 3,000-5,000 figure quoted in the South China Post to be unrealistic. Mr Griffiths noted that so far the department had received applications for registration under the British Nationality Act 1981 from 136 children, some kind of involving 89 families. Dr Leong hoped that concession could be granted to these children, preferably British citizenship. He felt that the families were being forced into the position of at least part of each family leaving Hong Kong to reside in the UK for perhaps 5 years in order to obtain This was settlement and then British nationality for the child. contrary to the aims of the 1990 Scheme which sought to retain key people in Hong Kong. Ironically, the scheme itself was partly responsible for creating pressure for something to be done, as it gave the children of parents who were registered as British citizens under the Scheme an advantage over the children of parents who were already British citizens and who could not secure citizenship for their children except by emigrating to the UK.
4. Dr Leong said that Mr Lloyd's letter of 21 November to Lord It Caithness did not really offer a great deal of hope. effectively ruled out the use of section 3(1) of the 1981 Act which Dr Leong saw as the preferred solution. The granting of an unqualified immigration concession similar to that given to wives and widows of British ex-servicemen would be a possible way
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