CODE 18-77
SS 10/76
Mr
Uptony
HKK 365/5.
Reference
(2
HONG KONG: PQ BY MR COSTAIN MP
1. I should be grateful if you would have a go at the first draft of a short submission on Mr Costain's PQ (docket attached). Please show it to Mr David (or Mr Duffy) on Monday morning, 13 June, by which time we should have received Hong Kong's advice on the reply. (The telegram I sent to Hong Kong yesterday has not yet appeared in distribution).
2. We should say in the draft submission that Mr Costain is the Treasurer of the Anglo/Hong Kong Parliamentary Group, that he takes a "close and friendly interest" in the affairs of Hong Kong (or something to that effect) and that he has asked so and so many Pas last year and this. Mr Kidd, whom I have consulted, tells me that Mr Costain's is not a "planted" Question. He thinks that Mr Costain will have been prompted to put it down by having seen from the 13 May issue of "eWeek in Hong Kong" (a publication put out by the HKGO, which I have not hitherto seen and which Mr Kidd is going to send to us) that the Governor has recently appointed a committee to look into the supply of land in Hong Kong. Mr Jeaffreson, the Hong Kong Secretary for Economic Services, who has been seeing Mr Stewart and Mr Duffy this afternoon, has confirmed that there is such a committee in being and thinks that Hong Kong will be able to supply us with quite a good reply to Mr Costain's Question.
3. I have spoken to Major Parkinson in DS6, MOD. We agreed that we would consult afresh when Hong Kong reply to our telegram. Major Parkinson did not suggest that the answer to Mr Costain's question should necessarily include anything about land that the MOD are releasing (or, it might be argued, not releasing) in Hong Kong and I doubt whether we shall want to cover this point in the reply.
9 June 1977
D.F. Millon
D F Milton
Hong Kong & General Dept K 247
233 4381
Encl
Drap reply ben's Ribmitted.
Am
x14/6.