RIGHT OF ABODE FOR FORMER BRITISH-HONG KONG SERVICEMEN
- Session: 2013-14
- Date tabled: 14.05.2013
- Primary sponsor:
- Sponsors:
That this House recognises the enormous contribution to Britain of the former Hong Kong Armed Forces from 1857 until 1997; believes that those remaining soldiers of the Hong Kong Military Service Corps and the Hong Kong Royal Naval Service who did not receive a UK passport following the handover of Hong Kong to China should now be offered that choice; notes that not more than some 500 soldiers were given a UK passport in 1997 under the then passport selection scheme; further notes that the remainder of the military Corps and some 100 Royal Naval servicemen were left behind; acknowledges that these men and their ancestors have served British commitments in south-east Asia greatly, stood shoulder to shoulder with Britain through two World Wars as well as alongside Britain in France, Burma, Korea, Malaya, Singapore, Hong Kong, China and the United Nations for King, Queen and country; and calls on the Government to recognise that the decision not to have asked each serviceman to freely transfer their nationality from British-Hong Kong to Hong Kong-Chinese was unjust and an error that should now be rectified.