HC Deb 30 November 1984 vol 68 c627W
Mr. Stanbrook

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Orpington on 26 November, Official Report, column 383, if he will identify the 6,000 British dependent territories citizens in Hong Kong whom he believes the Chinese Government may not consider to be Chinese compatriots in terms of the Chinese memorandum attached to the draft agreement with the Government of the Chinese Republic, giving the expressed reason for their exclusion from the category of Chinese compatriots.

Mr. Luce

The British dependent territories citizens to whom my hon. Friend refers are people not of Chinese ethnic origin. I would reiterate the point that this is a matter for the Chinese Government.

Mr. Stanbrook

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what will be the status in terms of the British Nationality Act 1981 of British dependent territories citizens in Hong Kong who will lose their citizenship on 1 July 1997 and who will not be considered to be Chinese compatriots in the terms of the Chinese memorandum attached to the draft agreement with the Government of China;

(2) if he intends to propose legislation to define the status to be retained by British dependent territories citizens in Hong Kong after 1 July 1997; and in what way that status will differ from existing categories of citizenship.

Mr. Luce

Proposals for amendment of the British Nationality Act 1981 will be put before the House in due course. Subject to parliamentary approval, on 1 July 1997 all persons who were on 30 June 1997 British dependent territories citizens by virtue of a connection with Hong Kong will, whether or not they are Chinese compatriots in terms of the Chinese memorandum, be eligible to retain an appropriate status under the British Nationality Act, provided that they hold or are included in a British passport issued before that date, except that persons born on or after 1 January 1997 but before 1 July 1997 may obtain or be included in such a passport up to 31 December 1997. The new status proposed will be similar to the present BDTC status, but will not carry the right to transmissibility by descent.