I
RESTRICTED
office is outside the Secretariat but in view of the special role falling to the Secretary for Information in a territory in which democratic institutions cannot be developed and accordingly requires particular care in explaining Government policy to the people and assessing their reactions, Mr. Ford hopes to be co- located with the principal departments in the Secretariat in due
course.
9. The Government Information Service is overwhelmingly concerned with projecting the Hong Kong Government's views. This means that Mr. Slimming, the Director, has little interest in COI material. He is, however, interested in CÓI films and these are included in the GIS film library. There is clearly a ready market for general interest films on Britain but there is a need to ensure that these are being put to the best use by GIS and the British Council. The visitor programme to the UK has been neglected over recent years but Mr. Ford has expressed an interest in reviving this. It will, however, be necessary to ensure that there is no confusion in responsibility between the BTC and the Hong Kong Government over this programme. The Hong Kong Government also wish to encourage an increasing number of British personalities who could give lectures to visit Hong Kong. Again this is an area which could be further pursued between the British and Hong Kong authorities, although IPD has no funds for this purpose.
10.
There is very little evidence in Hong Kong of any direct listenership to BBC vernacular services. RTHK do, however, re- broadcast a good deal of this BBC material, for which there is an avid listening public (Annex C).
THE POLITICAL ADVISER'S ROLE
11. The Political Adviser receives OID background material on China and other international issues. These are, however, not distributed widely by the Political Adviser and there is a need to consider further how briefing of this sort might be made available to opinion-formers and leading figures in the media (letter of 23 May to the Secretary for Information at Annex D refers). Meanwhile China Record, a regular brief prepared on the basis of material provided by PRU (para 13 below), is sent to Hong Kong pre-enveloped and distributed by post from the BTC. The revision of the distribution list will require action. Meanwhile the question of whether it should be made attributable is still being considered.
BRITISH COUNCIL
12. The British Council, who operate in Wanchain but may again consider opening other offices in Hong Kong, are heavily committed to English language teaching (they employ over 70 expatriate teachers). Their activities include arrangements to encourage British specialist experts to visit Hong Kong and they administer a modest visitors programme to the UK. Other opportunities for
RESTRICTED
/them