TNAG-2714-FCO40-3920-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1993 — Page 166

ebb, undoubtedly had a stabilising effect in Hong Kong.

36.

The British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1990 entered into force in July 1990. It empowers the Home Secretary to grant registration as a British citizen to up to 50,000 principal beneficiaries and to their dependants, without requiring them to leave Hong Kong. The terms of operation of the selection scheme (the British Nationality Scheme) are set out in an Order in Council, which was approved in November 1990. The selection scheme operates in two tranches. Applications for the first tranche, with the bulk of the available places, closed on 28 February 1991. The remaining places (10,500) will be allocated under the second tranche. This will open early in 1994, enabling those who have moved into key positions since 1991 to apply. Home Secretary plans to present to Parliament by June a further Order in Council which will make slight adjustments to the scheme, principally to enable the transfer of unused places within and between the four different classes.

The

37.

The first tranche was oversubscribed (66,500 applications were submitted, of which some 39,500 are expected to be successful). As at 6 March 1993, just under 24,000 principal beneficiaries had been registered as British citizens; processing of the remaining 15,500 will be completed by the end of 1993.

38.

The level of emigration remains high, but reflects decisions to emigrate taken up to three years ago; (an estimated 66,000 departed in 1992, 62,000 and 60,000 respectively in 1990 and 1991). There are now indications that the numbers of people applying to emigrate are falling. The number of new applications lodged with some Consulates in Hong Kong during the latter part of 1992 fell significantly but, since the Consulates are dealing with a backlog of applications built up over the last few years, it may take some time before the trend is reflected in emigration statistics. An increasing number of Hong Kong residents are

select.cttee.PR.JRB

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