CYR/CAT A
FM HONG KONG 1987502
CONFIDENTIAL
RECOINENTIAL
REGISTRY No. 51
20 AUG 1971
ree Amendment Met
NKK 18/10
hee
588
TO ROUTINE FCO TELNO 583 OF 19 AUGUST INFO HONG KONG GOVERNMENT
OFFICE LONDON.
LAST
YOUR TELEGRAM NUMBER 523.
REF
12
N
REF.
27
IMMIGRATION BILL.
THE BILL WAS INTRODUCED ON 21 JULY, AND THE DEBATE ON THE SECOND
READING HAS STOOD ADJOURNED SINCE THEN. I NOW PROPOSE THAT THE
DEBATE ON THE SECOND READING SHOULD BE CONTINUED AND COMPLETED ON
1 SEPTEMBER. THE 1 SEPTEMBER SITTING OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
IS THE LAST OF THE CURRENT SESSION, AND I WOULD NOT WANT THE SECOND READING LEFT OVER UNTIL THE NEXT SESSION. THE BILL HAS. CONTINUED TO RECEIVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PUBLICITY, FAVOURABLE AND ADVERSE, BUT HAS NOT AROUSED VERY GREAT INTEREST NOR SUBSTANTIAL
OPPOSITION. TO DEFER THE SECOND READING ANY FURTHER COULD GIVE RISE
TO EMBARRASSING SPECULATION THAT GOVERNMENT WAS HAVING DOUBTS.
AND SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PRINCIPLES OF THE BILL. I AM ADVISED
THAT AMENDMENTS PROPOSED TO THE U.K. IMMIGRATION BILL ARE NOT
RELEVANT TO THE PRINCIPLES OF OUR BILL, AND I AM THEREFORE PRESUMING
THAT NO FURTHER DEFERMENT ON THAT SCORE IS REQUIRED.
FCO PASS HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.
TRENCH
FILES
HKD
FED
MVD
PS TO MR ROYLE
SIR L MONSON
MR WILFORD
COPY TO: HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE
CONFIDENTIAL