TNAG-2944-FCO40-4220-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-dependants-wives-and-widow-1993 — Page 85

A

BY FAX

see

18

21 September 1993

RESTRICTED

Simon Vickers Esq

Security Branch

Government Secretariat

Hong Kong

Dear Simon,

pu.

depeviants

Foreign & Commonwealth

Office

London SWIA 2AH

Telephone: 071-

ния 340/8

RECE

23 SEP 1993

INJE

22

WAR WIDOWS AND WIVES OF EX-SERVICEMEN

1.

I have now received a response from the Home Office to my questions about the discussion detailed in your letter to me of 31 August which took place last month between Mr Wingfield, Crown Solicitor from Hong Kong and Mr Osborne, Legal Adviser at the Home Office.

2.

Mr Osborne has said that he gave no undertaking that the Home Office would change their position on waiving the period of residence which applications for citizenship must satisfy. He did, however repeat that the Home Office were prepared to be flexible and wondered whether Mr Wingfield may have placed undue reliance on this. The bottom line from the Home Office point of view is that it is not possible to waive the residence requirement to such an extent that it would be robbed of all its effect. The Home Office say they cannot be more specific at this stage about the time which could be waived this could not be decided in the abstract.

Mr Osborne has told us that, having reflected further, he sees no reason to reverse the advice given to the Home Secretary. The situation therefore remains as described in Charles Wardle's letter of 19 August to Alastair Goodlad and the Home Secretary's letter of 14 September to Elsie Tu. I am copying

you the latter in case you have not yet seen it. I am sorry not to have a more encouraging message for you. As you know Mr Goodlad has written several times this year to Mr Wardle to put what we see as a strong case for sympathetic and flexible treatment for this small group.

3. I wonder whether any one individual among the ladies has given consideration to making the trip to the UK to register

vickers21sept.NAT

JEB