§ Mr. Nicholas BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from police officers born in the United Kingdom who are serving in the Hong Kong police and who have married Hong Kong citizens, concerning the right of abode for their spouse in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe Government have received a number of representations on behalf of police officers in Hong Kong about the immigration and nationality status of their spouses. Under the British Citizenship (Designated Service) Order 1982 the normal residential requirements in the British Nationality Act 1981 may be waived if an application for naturalisation as a British citizen is made by the spouse of a member of the Royal Hong Kong police force who is a British citizen and was recruited in the United Kingdom. In addition the spouses of British citizens living abroad have the assurance that subject to the provisions in the immigration rules they may at any time come to live in the United Kingdom with their husbands and wives. We are considering whether any further arrangements are necessary under immigration provisions to protect the position of British citizen spouses in the special circumstances of Hong Kong and we will make an announcement in due course.