CONDIDENTI AL COVARING SECRET

Ministers. I propose, therefore, that the following procedure should be adopted. Each individual case will be considered first by one desk officer in my Department and then by myself. We will make a recommendation on each case to the Departmental Legal Adviser and after he has agreed or otherwise with our recommenda- tion I shall muke one submission to the Secretary of State (this will probably be on Thursday, 23 March) which will be in the following form. "I have considered each of the 140 cases submitted by the Hong Kong Government with their recommendation that CR55 be invoked in these cases. In (number) of these cases (see attached list A) I believe that there are sufficient grounds for believing them to have been involved in corrupt activity for it not to be in the public interest for them to remain members of the Royal Hong Kong Police Force. In (number) cases (see attached list B) I do not believe there are sufficient grounds and I have referred the cases back to Hong Kong. I recommend that I should be authorized to inform the liong Kong Government that the Secretary of State has decided that it is the pleasure of the Crown that these officers should no longer hold office under CR554" If the Secretary of State Agrees, I should then be able to inform Hong Kong of the Decision before Easter. The Departmental Legal Adviser and the Overseas Police Adviser concur.

16 March 1973

CC:

PS/Lord Goronwy-Roberts

Mr Rushford

Mr Mccoun

2

JB Stewart

Hong Kong & General Dept

лужи

I agree or Cly

CONET DENTAL COVERING SKI ST

16 fir

l

9./12.

7/3

Share This Page