TNAG-2942-FCO40-4218-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-ethnic-minorities-1993 — Page 67

Wives and Widows

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6. Ministers are familiar with the background to the request for citizenship for this small group (about 60) of elderly ladies. There is no scope (without introducing primary legislation, which the Home Office maintain is not an option) for granting citizenship while they remain in Hong Kong, but we believe there may be scope for cutting down the residential qualifying period the Home Secretary has discretion to waive absences. Informal discussion with the

Home Office suggests that the Home Secretary seldom waives completely the qualifying period, and that to waive absences of more than an average of 7 months a year during the period would be inconsistent with the principle that British citizenship should flow from a close personal connection with the United Kingdom.

7.

Coming to the UK might not be an option that these people would take up, even if the Home Secretary were

agree to exercise his discretion in these cases. But such a concession would win disproportionate goodwill in Hong Kong (and should not create a precedent).

ARGUMENT

8. The Governor and the Hong Kong Government support the case for citizenship for both these groups. There is also unanimous support in LegCo. (Baroness Dunn confirmed this in

the House of Lords saying that it was a compliment to the way British values had taken root in Hong Kong that LegCo had so strongly supported the ethnic community). Responsibility of

course rests with the Home Office and our role has been

principally that of a post-box. Successive Ministers of State have, in passing on representations to the Home Office, given a fair wind to the case for these groups over the

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