HC Deb 26 November 1984 vol 68 cc380-3W
Mr. Stanbrook

asked the Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many persons not of Chinese descent were naturalised as citizens of the United Kingdm and Colonies in Hong Kong in each year since 1964, respectively, and as British Dependent Territories citizens in 1983 and up to the latest available date in 1984; and what was their former nationality in each case.

Mr. Luce

The information requested is as follows:

Year Total Number of Non-Chinese naturalised Breakdown by former Nationality
As citizens of United Kingdom and Colonies
1964 13 2 Burmese
2 Indonesians
4 Filipinos
5 Portuguese
1965 8 2 Burmese
1 Korean
4 Portuguese
1 Swiss
1966 10 2 Burmese
2 Indonesians
1 American
1 Israeli
4 Portuguese
1967 17 2 Burmese
2 Filipinos
10 Portuguese
1 Venuzuelan
1 Hungarian
1 Pole
1968 11 2 Burmese
1 Indonesian
1 South African
2 Filipinos
3 Portuguese
2 South Vietnamese
1969 8 3 Burmese
1 Indonesian
1 Filipino
3 Portuguese
1970 17 3 Burmese
1 Indonesian
1 American
2 Israelis
1 Peruvian
1 Cuban
8 Portuguese
1971 12 1 Burmese
1 Indonesian
4 Americans
2 South Africans
1 Cambodian
2 Filipinos
1 Portuguese
1972 7 1 American
2 Israelis
2 Filipinos
2 Portuguese
1973 6 1 American
3 Filipinos
2 Portuguese
1974 6 1 South African
1 Israeli
1 Filipino
1 Korean
1 Portuguese
1 British Protected Person (North Borneo)

Year Total Number of Non-Chinese naturalised Breakdown by former Nationality
1975 15 1 Indonesian
5 Pakistanis
1 American
1 South African
1 Israeli
3 Cambodians
1 Filipino
1 Portuguese
1 Nepalese
1976 12 4 Pakistanis
1 American
2 South Africans
1 Israeli
1 Cambodian
2 Filipinos
1 Portuguese
1977 14 4 Burmese
4 Pakistanis
1 South African
3 Israelis
1 Filipino
1 South Vietnamese
1978 5 1 Burmese
1 South African
2 Portuguese
1 British Protected Person (Brunei)
1979 4 1 Indonesian
1 Pakistani
1 South African
1 Portuguese
1980 6 1 Burmese
1 Pakistani
1 South African
1 Israeli
1 Filipino
1 British Protected Person (Tanganyika)
1981 2 2 Burmese
1982 4 3 Burmese
1 Pakistani
As British Dependent Territories Citizens
1983 1 1 Burmese
1984* 5 3 Burmese
1 American
1 Portuguese
* To 23 November.

Mr. Stanbrook

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make a statement on the policy of tile Government with regard to the pension rights of members of the overseas Civil Service now serving, or who have served, in Hong Kong;

(2) if Her Majesty's Government will undertake to provide for the pension rights of members of the overseas Civil Service serving, or who have served, in Hong Kong, on terms not less favourable than those negotiated with successive Governments elsewhere in the Commonwealth;

(3) what arrangements have been made with the Government of the Chinese Republic to safeguard the pension rights of those members of Her Majesty's overseas Civil Service who have served, or are still serving, in Hong Kong.

Mr. Luce

Section IV of annex Ito the joint declaration initialled by the British and Chinese sides on 26 September states that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government shall pay to public servants in Hong Kongwho retire or complete their contracts, as well as to those who have retired before 1 July 1997, or to their dependents, all pensions, gratuities, allowances and benefits due to them on terms no less favourable than before, and irrespective of their nationality or place of residence.

We are confident that the arrangments set out in the draft agreement provide full security for the payment of pensions of both serving and retired civil servants, including members of Her Majesty' Overseas Civil Service (HMOCS), and their dependants. It is not possible to define at this stage the exact arrangements which will be made for the payment of pensions by the SAR Government after 1997 to former HMOCS officers.

Mr. Stanbrook

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his estimate of the total number of those persons in Hong Kong entitled under the United Kingdom memorandum attached to the draft agreement between Her Majesty's Government and the Chinese Government to retain an appropriate status after 1 July 1997; and how many of these are Hong Kong Chinese compatriots as defined in the Chinese memorandum attached to the draft agreement.

Mr. Luce

Approximately three million persons who are now British Dependent Territories citizens by virtue of a connection with Hong Kong (Hong Kong BDTCs) will be eligible to retain with effect from 1 July 1997 the appropriate status referred to in the United Kingdom memorandum. This number is estimated to rise to around 4.1 million in 1997. Although this is a matter for the Chinese Government, I believe that some 6,000 of those who are currently Hong Kong BDTCs may not be considered to be Chinese compatriots in terms of the Chinese memorandum.

Mr. Stanbrook

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements have been made for the nationality of those British Dependent Territories' citizens in Hong Kong who, after 1 July 1997, will lose their citizenship and who are not eligible to be Chinese nationals.

Mr. Luce

All persons who on 30 June 1997 are British Dependent Territories citizens by virtue of a connection with Hong Kong are eligible to retain the appropriate status referred to in the United Kingdom memorandum, irrespective of whether or not they are eligible to be Chinese nationals.