CONFIDENTIAL
7.
(b)
arrangement consistent with the constitutional
position. But there is provision for placing
before the Legislature reports on which the
Commissioner has recommended remedial action,
together with the Colonial Secretary's report
cn the action taken. Such reports can be
raised in the Legislative Council.
There is no sifting mechanism before complaints
can reach the Commissioner. He receives them
direct.
The draft B111 was referred to the Executive Council at the
end of January and Council Members were asked for their views on
the question whether the idea of the appointment of a Farliamentary Commissioner should be pursued. Some of the unofficial members of
the Executive Council nad considerable reservations about the whole
idea and these were subsequently ventilated in the Governor's
Address to the Legislative Council un Budget Day.
8. In March this year. at the Governor's request, we referred a
copy of the draft Bill to the Office of the Parliamentary
Commissioner in the United Kingdom for their comments; these have
since been received but have been confined to only one point of
detail. However, arrangements have been made for the Attorney
General, Hong Kong, who drafted the Bill, to visit the Office in August (during his forthcoming leave in the United Kingdom) with
a view to further discussions on the subject.
9. Meanwhile, the present position in Hong Kong is that the
Executive Council have decided that an examination should be
carried out into the possibility of strengthening some of the machinery which already exists in the Colony to enable members
of the public to bring to the notice of Government authorities
any complaints which they may have. In reaching this decision,
the Executive Council had in mind particularly the "UMELCO"
Office. This is an Office with a full-time Secretary where
The AC slatio
today
that
he did
not witho
Calling on the Be's
ffice.
12/9/69
CONFIDENTIAL
members
...