HKK 380/2
CONFI DENTI AL
Sir Denys Roberts KBE QC JP
Chief Secretary
Government Secretariat
HONG KONG
LAST
4
EXT
ALF.
18
28 February 1977
1. In considering a recent submission in connection with a further letter from Mrs Pryor about the ICAC, Lord Goronwy-Roberts commented that it seemed to him "that there was a strong case, widely supported, for an Ombudsman" and that the welcome increase in the activity of UMELCO on complaints was not a complete answer. He suggested that in fact the effectiveness of UMELCO might be increased if a long-stop Ombudsman were available.
2.
You are well aware that the question of an Ombudsman in Hong Kong has been frequently raised in the past. Indeed, you yourself prepared a draft bill in about 1968 to introduce a Commissioner for Administration. Much of this pressure for the creation of an Ombudsman in Hong Kong has come from Ministers here and it is likely to continue. You will recall that Lord Shepherd and Sir Anthony Royle discussed this matter at length and that Sir Alec Douglas-Home, when he was Secretary of State, wrote to Sir David Trench saying that he would like to see a post of Ombudsman or similar office established as soon as possible.
3.
The establishment of UMELCO, the strengthening of its office and the development of CDO's Advisory Boards took much of the wind out of this particular sail; however the recent ICAC cases of which you are probably aware and the public complaints by, e. Mrs Pryor, have raised the question once again. Tom Duffy wrote to John Hobley in November about Mrs Pryor's campaign. In his reply John said inter alia that he did not think "that a type of Ombudsman is called for. The Government's general policy in relation to an Ombudsman is that the UMELCO system is successful but that we would review the system if Unofficial Members of Councils were to suggest such a course".
4. There is no point in raising again the arguments for an Ombudsman nor in commenting on the effectiveness of UMELCO as a panel for grievances. Given the increased criticism about the activities of the ICAC I should like to seek your views on the
CONFIDENTIAL