Flag A
Mr Murray Parliamentary Unit
14/15
CONFIDENTIAL
74
This PQ is at present No 48. (There are 47 PQs down to the Sofs for the Environment). It is most unlikely that this
PQ will be reached for Oral reply. PLANE. 17/5
HONG KONG: PQ SIR ANTHONY ROYLE MP
A
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Richmond) has put down a
1. Sir Anthony Royle MP (Conservative Question for oral answer on 18 May asking for details of Hong Kong's population, exports and budget in 1952 and 1957; for an outline of the Hong Kong Government's programme from 1977 to 1983 in the fields of education, hospitals and clinics, etc; and for information on how this programme will be financed.
2.
Sir A Royle, a former Parliamentary Under-Secretary in the FCO and a leading member of the Anglo/Hong Kong Parliamentary Group, asked 13 Questions on Hong Kong last year. He also asked a Question on 3 February this year about the extension of the public assistance scheme in Hong Kong. As in the past, Sir Anthony's Question seems designed to offset the critical Questions on Hong Kong that are put down by other MPs. His latest Question is clearly aimed at bringing out how much progress the Hong Kong Government are making, particularly in the provision of such services as education and
medicine.
3.
The Parliamentary Unit have advised that Sir Anthony Royle's Question is unlikely to be reached but that the possibility should not be excluded. It seems, in fact, that Sir A Royle is assuming that his Question will be answered in writing since the information he has requested could not be provided within the normal limits of an oral reply. If his Question should be reached I suggest that the reply should be to the effect that the information requested will be circulated in the Official Report. The Parliamentary Unit have advised that a reply on these lines would be in order in the
circumstances.
4. I submit a draft reply based on information supplied by the Flag B Hong Kong Government (Hong Kong telegram no. 491 of 16 May) and,
to be on the safe side, Notes for Supplementaries.
17 May 1977
fa.ß.
.0.B. Stunt
JA B Stewart
Hong Kong & General Dept
Cc:
PS/Lord Goronwy-Roberts
Mr Cortazzi
CONFIDENTIAL