CONFIDENTIAL
DIE
وت ce
for ops dan
162
10 DOWNING STREET
HUGW
From the Private Secretary
f
PS.
20 February,
1978.
Ps/Lord Goroney-Rüberts Ps/pus
mi Contazze
in. Stratton
Legal Advisers
Capital Punishment in the Dependent
Overseas Territories
The Prime Minister has seen the Lord President's minute (of 17 February about capital punishment in the dependent
overseas territories.
The Prime Minister would like Cabinet to consider this matter, and has asked that the Lord President should put a paper to Cabinet for this purpose.
It may be helpful to the Lord President to know that the Prime Minister commented on his minute that in his view the present procedure protects the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary. He would, for instance, face difficulties in handling a case (assuming the resolution was passed by the House) in which he believed that a Hong Kong murderer should be reprieved, but all local opinion was opposed to him.
I am sending copies of this letter to the Private Secretaries of other members of GEN 103 and to Martin Vile (Cabinet Office).
нка 3801
RECEIVED ******* NO. 51
23 FEB 1978
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
No
PA
N.
REGISTRY Action Taken
ве
NL WICKS
P. WOOD
John Stevens, Esq.,
}
Lord President's Office.
CONFIDENTIAL