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RECORD OF A MEETING BETWEEN THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY
OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS AND MR P C WOO
AT THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE ON FRIDAY 14 SEPTEMBER
AT 11.00 AM
Present:
Mr Anthony Royle, MP
Mr R B Crowson
Mr M RJ Guest
DEATH PENALTY
5.
Mr P C Woo
(Senior Unofficial Member of Legislative Council, Hong Kong)
Mr Woo said this was a very difficult problem. He knew
that Sir Y K Kan had discussed it with Mr Royle. Violent crime
in Hong Kong was increasing. Two policemen had recently been
killed, and it was believed that the murderers had killed them.
because they believed they would never be hanged. Mr Royle
pointed out that there had been no execution in Hong Kong since
Mr Woo 1966, even though there had been some very bad cases.
said that the previous Governor, Sir David Trench, had told him that they all had been reprieved because the labour Government
would not have permitted an execution. Mr Royle said he had not
heard of this, but would check up. However, it was not a party
political issue. There were abolitionists and retentionists in
both the Conservative and Labour parties. Mr Woo pointed out
that Hong Kong was different from Britain in this respect.
Mr Royle said he understood this. He recognised that the
majority of people in Hong Kong, wanted the Death Penalty retained
and that conditions in Hong Kong were different from the UK.
the Tsoi case had been a particularly difficult one in that it
had come up just at the time of the votes on the death penalty in
the House. Ho then explained the Parliamentary background.
Mr Woo said that the liong Kong Government had wanted Tsoi to be
But