IMMEDIATE
CYPHER CAT A
FM FCO 181113Z
RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
TOP COPT(2
TO IMMEDIATE GOVERNOR HONG KONG TELNO 899 OF 18 OCTOBER, 1972
PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION.
YOU WILL WISH TO KNOW THAT SOME TIME AGO MR PETER BLAKER MP TABLED A QUESTION FOR ORAL REPLY ON 23 OCTOBER TO QUOTE ASK THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS IF HE WILL MAKE A STATEMENT ABOUT HIS RECENT OFFICIAL VISIT TO HONG KONG
UNQUOTE.
2. THERE HAS BEEN A GOOD DEAL OF UNCERTAINTY ABOUT THE FATE OF THIS QUESTION. IT WAS THOUGHT THAT MR BLAKER MIGHT WITHDRAW IT AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT ON 2 OCTOBER THAT THE VISIT WOULD NOW TAKE PLACE ON 2/3 NOVEMBER, IT WAS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT THE QUESTION WOULD SLIP TO A WRITTEN REPLY OWING TO A PARLIAMENTARY
TECHNICALITY,
3. HOWEVER MR BLAKER'S QUESTION HAS REMAINED ON THE ORDER PAPER FOR ORAL ANSWER AND MR ROYLE WILL BE REPLYING, WE PROPOSE TO RECOMMEND A REPLY ON THE FOLLOWING LINES:
BEGINS!
MY RT HON FRIEND LAST PAID AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO HONG KONG IN FEBRUARY, BUT AS ANNOUNCED ON 2 OCTOBER HE PLANS TO LOOK IN AGAIN ON HIS WAY BACK FROM PEKING ON 2/3 NOVEMBER. ALSO, 1 AM PLEASED TO SAY, I MYSELF WILL BE VISITING HONG KONG FROM 11-15 NOVEMBER.
ENDS
4. FOR SUPPLEMENTARIES WE ARE PROVIDING NOTES ON TEXTILES, STERLING, TRADE, MASS TRANSIT SCHEME, LABOUR AND WAGE RATES.
DOUGLAS-HOME
FILES
HKI OD
PARLIAMENTARY UNIT
P.S/MR ROYLE
RESTRICTED