CONFIDENTIAL
COVALENG 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 make 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 Hong Kong Goverment that the Secretary of State has decided that it is the pleasure of the Crown that these officers should no longer hold office under CR55" If the Secretary of State grecs, 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 1978
Cc:
PS/Lord Goronwy-Roberts
Mr. Rushford
Mr Macoun
2
fo.ß.P
B Stewart
Hong Kong & General Dept
I agree And Cly
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