TNAG-2944-FCO40-4220-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-dependants-wives-and-widow-1993 — Page 14

settle.MOPLET

user 9

3 December 1993

HUD

340/8

Elizabeth G Settle

RECE

Iveridge Hall

- 6 DEC 1993

Oulton

Leeds

LS26 8EU

DISTRI

ina Tüken

Foreign & Commonwealth

Office

London SWIA 2AH

Telephone: 071-

62

Your letter of 5 November 1993 to the Prime Minister about British citizenship for the widows of Hong Kong servicemen has been passed to this department for reply.

I understand your feelings towards the widows, whose husbands bravely served in the defence of Hong Kong during the Second World War. Those men made a heroic contribution to Hong Kong. I am sure that this is not ignored in this country.

The question of British citizenship for this small group of ladies has been very carefully considered by Ministers. The problem is that there is no provision in nationality law to grant British citizenship to a person who is not resident in the United Kingdom. Thus, the Government does not have the power to grant what these ladies are asking for. However, assurances have been given by Ministers that these ladies could settle in the United Kingdom at any time and apply for British citizenship in the normal way. The government have also done all they can to ensure that if any of these ladies want to apply for entry clearance to the United Kingdom, their applications can be processed very quickly.

Mark Gee

Hong Kong Department