Foreign & Commonwealth
Office
London SWIA 2AH
24 May 1993
The Rt Hon Sir David Steel KBE MP House of Commons
London SW1A OAA
From The Minister of State
David
As you know, Mr Frederick Fung and colleagues from the Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood called on Douglas Hurd and me this week. Among other things they expressed some concern about our intentions to introduce certain measures to cope with the very large number of applications for British Nationality (Overseas) (BNO) status we expect to receive between now and 1997. I believe he also raised these concerns with you. I thought you might find it useful to have a little background to this issue.
We cannot be sure, but possibly as many as 3.5 million Hong Kong people may choose to register as BNOS before 1997. Under 500,000 have applied to date. If millions of applications were made close to 1997, there would be no guarantee that the Hong Kong Immigration Department would be able to register all the applicants before their power to do so ceases on 1 July 1997. It was against this background that we decided to introduce a programme to phase the registration by means of prescribed cut-off dates (by age group). This is a familiar mechanism in Hong Kong, used for the orderly issue of identity cards. The Governor would have discretion to accept late applications. took this decision after close consultation with the Hong Kong Government. The Executive Council of the Hong Kong Government has twice endorsed the programme, most recently on 4 May. Provision for the programme would need to be made by Order in Council.
The implementation of the programme will guarantee that all those British Dependent Territory Citizens who wish to apply will receive BNO passports before 1 July 1997. Both the Hong Kong Government and Her Majesty's Government consider that it would be irresponsible not to take steps to provide such a guarantee when it lies within our power to do so.
/Nevertheless
TJ
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