PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
Right of abode for former British-Hong Kong servicemen (22 February 2021)

That this House recognises the enormous contribution to Britain of the former Hong Kong armed forces who loyally served this country from 1857 until 1997; it acknowledges that these men and their ancestors greatly served UK commitments in South East Asia, stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Britain throughout two world wars, serving in France, as well as Burma, Korea, Malaya, Singapore, Hong Kong, China and with the United Nations for King, Queen and country; further notes that they are recognised by the Ministry of Defence as Veterans and they have remained extremely loyal to the United Kingdom; 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 only 159 former servicemen were given a UK passport in 1997 under the then passport selection scheme; further notes that the remainder of the Military Service Corps and some 100 Royal Naval servicemen were left behind; 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 prior to the handover of Hong Kong was unjust and an error that should now be rectified.

Sponsored by:
Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK)