ACCIPE ARMATUTAK
Militars Ordinariate
Great Britain
The Prime Minister,
10 Downing Street, London W1
Dear Prime Minister,
Ref:
Letter from Cdr. S.J.J. Brown RN
BISHOPRIC OF THE FORCES
26 The Crescent, Farnborough
Hampshire GU14 7AS
Tel: 0252 373699 Residence
0252 543649 Office
6th September 1993
During a recent pastoral visit to the British Armed Forces in Hong Kong, the plight of Locally Entered Personnel (LEP) was demonstrated to me very forcibly whilst aboard one of HM Ships based in the Crown Colony. I had been briefed on the role of the ship, which included the pursuit, the boarding and the arrest of fast boats manned often by desperate and violent men engaged in the smuggling of expensive motor cars stolen from their Hong Kong owners for sale in Mainland China. This was described as hazardous work often involving serious risk to life and limb on the part of Royal Naval Personnel, including LEP's. I was introduced to one LEP who had only recently returned to duty after serious injury in an engagement with smugglers.
Later I was told of the plight of many LEP's, who under the British Nationality Act are included in the Disciplinary Services Group, but are not entitled to British passports. When China assumes control of Hong Kong in succession to Great Britain in 1997, these people who have loyally served the Crown, in some cases for many years, often engaged in dangerous situations, will be paid off and left behind in the former Colony to face an altogether uncertain future. What their chances will be of further employment under their new masters, to say nothing of arbitrary mistreatment when it is discovered that they have been loyal servants to British Imperialism, is very much in question.
I realise that, as Commander Simon Brown put it, 'the passport issue is a very sensitive one and Primary Legislation would be required to change the scheme'. I believe that an exception to the current Legislation should be made in order to give these LEP's and their dependents the right to apply for British passports should they desire them, I believe the numbers who would apply are not great and would not seriously undermine the Government's present policy on immigration from Hong Kong. These men and women, whilst perhaps not possessing great material wealth to bring them to the UK, would bring the same loyalty, courage and discipline that so many of them exercise now in favour of the service to the Crown.
Yours sincerely
+ Cremains
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ས་
Francis J. Walmsley
Roman Catholic Bishop to the Forces
Encl: Letter Cdr. S.J.J. Brown RN
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