TNAG-2709-FCO40-3915-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-and-Par-1993 — Page 177

supp.PQ.rod

6.

NATIONALITY

In view of present level of Chinese hostility, should we not give

all Hong Kong people right of abode in the UK?

No. It would be irresponsible to give such an undertaking which no future government could possibly meet.

Provisions for ethnic communities (primarily Indians) who risk

become stateless post 1997?

Open to all British Dependent Territory citizens to apply

for British citizenship under British Nationality (Hong

Kong) Act 1990.

The British Government is on record that if members of the

non-Chinese ethnic communities ever come under pressure to

leave Hong Kong in the future and have nowhere else to go,

the government of the day would consider with particular sympathy any request for admission to the UK.

British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1990

-

Scheme has successfully targeted key people. over 50% oversubscribed).

(First tranche

As at 20 February, the Home Office Nationality Team in Hong

Kong had already registered over 23,000 beneficiaries as British citizens. This number includes applicants from the

General Occupational Class (66%), the Disciplined Service

Class (25%), the Entrepreneurs Class (0.5%), and the Sensitive Class (8.5%). The Home Office Nationality Team has also received 20,870 passport applications.