Mr J Jasper HKGD, K270
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COVERING PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL
Mr Kew. Pl chech DiDP/DSP
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JJ5/7
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CAPITAL PUNISHMENT : BERMUDA
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2.
Please see Mr Lloyd's letter of 30 June to Mr Stewart.
I do not think that the communication from Mr Sterrer that POD have returned to Mr Lloyd for appropriate action is a "Petition" in the normal sense of that term. If that is so, I doubt whether paragraph 21 of the MEMORANDUM ON THE PREROGATIVE OF MERCY IN CASES is relevant but Mr Stewart would be grateful if you would check this point. Mr Lloyd is, however, correct in saying that it would have been a good thing if we had been aware of Mr Sterrer's letter when it was first received here. This raises the question, which has cropped up before in the Hong Kong context, of the suitability of the procedure whereby PCD refer communications from the Dependent Territories addressed to HM The Queen, Number Ten etc back to OAGS without the Departments concerned knowing that they are doing so. Mr Stewart would be grateful if you would check DSP/DTDP to see what is said there about the handling of such communications and, thereafter, discuss the point with PCD. If we are to establish an arrangement whereby PCD copy communications to Departments as they pass them back to OAGS for action, which I can see might be a bore for them, we may eventually need to approach PCD at Head of Department level.
3. Subject to the results of your enquiries, could you prepare a draft reply to Mr Lloyd saying (a) that we do not regard Mr Sterrer's letter as a "Petition", (b) that we do agree that we should have seen it at an early stage and (c) that we should grateful if he would send a non-committal reply to it.
A.F. dritte
DF Milton
Hong Kong and General Department K247
233-4381
CODE 18-[{
4 July 1977
Miss Westwood, PCD G69/G
1. I am not sure whether Dr Sterrer's letter to the Queen would constitute a Petition as envisaged in para. 21 of the FCO Memo- randum (flag A) but in any case I would not expect members of your Department to be aware of this document, nor perhaps even with Colonial Regulation 171 which is also relevant (flag B).
COVERING PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL
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