To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the letter from Lord Goldsmith to the Home Secretary on 14 February which stated that the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration does not prevent the extension of full right of abode in the UK to those in Hong Kong who own a British National (Overseas) passport; and what response they intend to make to the reported request in that letter that "false statements" about the nature of his advice in relation to the rights of British National (Overseas) passports should be "retracted and not repeated".

We have received Lord Goldsmith’s letter and we are considering our response. The UK takes seriously its support for BN(O)s and the rights that status confers upon them. We continue to believe that the best outcome for BN(O)s is for the high degree of autonomy and rights and freedoms set out in the Joint Declaration and provided for in the Basic Law to be upheld.

We have received Lord Goldsmith’s letter and we are considering our response. The UK takes seriously its support for BN(O)s and the rights that status confers upon them. We continue to believe that the best outcome for BN(O)s is for the high degree of autonomy and rights and freedoms set out in the Joint Declaration and provided for in the Basic Law to be upheld.

We have received Lord Goldsmith’s letter and we are considering our response. The UK takes seriously its support for BN(O)s and the rights that status confers upon them. We continue to believe that the best outcome for BN(O)s is for the high degree of autonomy and rights and freedoms set out in the Joint Declaration and provided for in the Basic Law to be upheld.

We have received Lord Goldsmith’s letter and we are considering our response. The UK takes seriously its support for BN(O)s and the rights that status confers upon them. We continue to believe that the best outcome for BN(O)s is for the high degree of autonomy and rights and freedoms set out in the Joint Declaration and provided for in the Basic Law to be upheld.