PORUCHAL AND COMPIDENTIAL
!
I know that come of the unofficial members of
both the Executive and legislative Councils doubt whether such a post is necessary and that the
constitutional polition of the Colony makes it impossible to follow the model of responsibility to Parliament that is appropriate here. lut just as liong Kong is so much "cui generic", so there is
no need caactly to reproduce the machinery that
has been evolved clsewhere. It strikes mo, never- tholess, that the "Ombudsman" concept is particularly cuitable for the circumstances of liong Kong. The
new Office would of course have to be quite seperate from the normal nachinery of government and I am
sure the "Commisioner' would have to report to
you personally.
The Parliamentary Commissioner
here has certain restrictions on his activities and
it will be necessary to considor what restrictions
chould be placed on the "Ombudsman" in long Rone.
I am arranging therefore for the Perliementery Commissioner to be consulted about these proposals
and our considered views in the light of this
consultation will be cont to you so soon as possible.
Meanwhile, I should be grateful if you would consider the best way of roviving this issue with your
unofficial advicers.
/If we
PLR CHAL AND CONFIDENTIAL