(HKK 18/35)
Depod.
7/12
7 December, 1970.
за
....
Thank you for your letter of 27 November (AGC8/1250/70c) about immigration legislation.
2. I am sorry to say that we cannot send you an advance copy of the draft U.K. 3111. Indeed at present there is no 3111 and the matter of its content is still very much under discussion! The legislation will certainly rot be ready for introduction in the ileuse before the Christmas recess and may not be introduced much before Easter. It is unlikely, strictly for your own information, to come into force before 1972.
3.
As regards your own legislation, we have not yet completed our examination of the Bill. There are certain aspects of it, one of which is the extent to which the Governor's proposed powers to deport appear, as drafted to exceed those of the Home Secretary, which may present problems, I very much doubt whether we shall
be able to let you have our considered views on this before the end of the year.
We shall of course do our best to see that the matter is handled as expeditiously as possible, but will the likely delay in producing U.K. legislation mean that you too would wish to hasten slowly? It would be helpful to know to what extent, if any, you regard the two pieces of legislation as linked.
D.".. Roberts,
Roberts, Raq., CBE, SC,
Attorney-General,
HONG KONG.
(K.M. Wilford)
CONFIDENTIAL