TNAG-2942-FCO40-4218-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-ethnic-minorities-1993 — Page 66

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further legislation to make specific provision for them. This was the message which Mr Goodlad gave LegCo on 1 June, and which Home Office Ministers gave the visiting LegCo delegation on 9 June.

4. Since then, the case for the ethnic minorities to

receive citizenship has been pressed on various occasions:

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An Adjournment Debate on 9 July;

During the passage through Parliament of the two Hong

Kong nationality Orders in Council;

At Mr Goodlad's session with the Foreign Affairs Committee on 14 July (he undertook to take the matter

up with the Home Office);

At the Secretary of State's lunch with the Hong Kong Association Committee on 13 July (the Secretary of State undertook to look again at this issue).

Mr Goodlad's postbag over the last month has also included

nearly 30 letters from MPs about this issue.

5.

Mr Wardle presented the Orders on 13 July in the Commons

and Earl Ferrers on 15 July in the Lords. The Orders were approved but in the House of Lords, the House approved a motion tabled by Lord Bonham Carter that the ethnic minorities with no right of abode other than in Hong Kong should receive British citizenship. There were about 18

speakers (none supported the Government) and the Government was defeated 60-48 after debate lasting two and a half hours. The ground covered was familiar; the general point was that this is a smallish community with special needs being cast adrift into an uncertain future, the government's original

assurance has not stood the test of time and that the

Government could with no great problem accommodate their

request for citizenship.

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