Original
The CW
NICKIGh
13)
Mr Male
Parliamentary Unit
HONG KONG:
1.
PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS
Mr Stanley Newens (Labour/Co-operative, Harlow) has tabled six Questions about Hong Kong matters for Written Answer on 25 June. The Questions concern company law reform, budget retrenchment, corruption, the use of DM gas, drugs and the collapse of the Paul Lee Engineering Company. It has been necessary to consult the Hong Kong Government about the draft replies and this has caused some delay in their submission. Parliamentary Unit have, however, asked that they should reach them by noon today
2.
•
The
Mr Newens is a prominent Parliamentary critic of the Hong Kong Government. lle was a sponsor of the pamphlet "Child Labour in Hong Kong", published by the Hong Kong Research Froject, and presided over a press conference launching this publication on 24 April. The Hong Kong Research Project is a Nottingham-besed organisation which shores premises with the "Institute for Workers' Control", a group also concerned with Hong Kong. Both groups have come under strong Trotskyist influence.
3.
The Hong Kong Government have provided background information on the collapse of the Paul Lee engineering firm and company law reform and this is included in the attached background notes. The Parliamentary Unit have agreed that for the other Questions background notes may be dispensed with, in view of the short notice we have been given (and which the Acting Governor has complained of).
4.
I recommend that the Minister should reply to the questions on the lines of the attached draft replies.
J.FR. Martin
JF R Martin
Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Dept.
27 June 1975
00
PS/Lord Goronwy-Roberts
CONFIDENTIAL,
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