TNAG-2944-FCO40-4220-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-dependants-wives-and-widow-1993 — Page 52

It.brannen.NAT

JEB

29 November 1993

Mr David Brannen

ния зиброз

RECE

DES

INDEX

34

3 ONOV 1993

Foreign & Commonwealth

Office

London SWIA 2AH

Telephone: 071-

House Manager

Argyle House

29/31 Euston Road

London NW1 2SD

fannen

Dear Mr. BrannE

Your letter of 10 November to the Prime Minister about the refusal of the British Government to grant British passports to the widows of Hong Kong servicemen who lost their lives in the service of the Crown has been passed to this Department for reply.

I can well understand your 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. 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. So the Government does not have the power to grant what these ladies are asking for. But 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.

Yours sincerely,

Woodrow

р

J Woodrow

Hong Kong Department

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