TNAG-2944-FCO40-4220-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-dependants-wives-and-widow-1993 — Page 22

Draft letter from the Prime Minister

Matthew Banks Esq MP

House of Commons

London

SW1 ОАА

Thank you for your letter of 23 November enclosing another

from Mrs F Gorse of 474 Liverpool Road, Birkdale, Southport

about British citizenship for the widows of Hong Kong

servicemen who lost their lives in the service of the Crown.

I can well understand Mr Gorse's feelings about 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. This has not been forgotten by my

Government.

We have carefully considered the question of British citizenship for this small group of women. There is, however, no provision in our nationality law to grant British citizenship to a person who is not resident in the United

Kingdom. So we do not have the power to grant what they are

asking for. But British Ministers have given assurances that these women can settle in the United Kingdom at any time and

apply for British citizenship in the normal way. We have also made sure that, if any of the war widows want to apply for entry clearance to the United Kingdom, their applications can

be processed quickly.

JOHN MAJOR