CONFIDENTIAL
If a
The last study is due to be completed in late 1981.
decision is then made to go ahead (contingent on the building
Cleveland
of the airport at Chek Lap Kok and industrialisation of Northern
Lantau) construction tenders could be issued in 1982.
Bridge and Redpath Dorman Long hope to compete for this work.
Water Supply Scheme
12.
Hong Kong Government has invited firms to prequalify for two
water conveyance systems from the Chinese border to a reservoir
in the New Territories. Four British firms, E Nuttall,
FJC Lilley, Keir International and Tarmac International have
prequalified for the second contract, which requires the provision
of 13 km of tunnel and pipeline.
Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank (HKSB) Bid for Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS)
13. The HKSB and the Standard Chartered Bank have made bids for
the RBS of Scotland. Both of these were referred on 1 May 1981 by
the Secretary of State for Trade to the Monopolies and Mergers
Commission (MMC) which reported to him just before Christmas.
14. The report will be confidential until publication, which will
be arranged as quickly as is practicable and no later than the
third week in February. The reference implied no prejudice against
either bid or any presumption that either merger would operate
against the public interest. The bids do however raise important
issues of public interest which need examination by an independent
quasi-judicial body. It is now for the MMC to consider all aspects of the public interest, and it would not be appropriate (eg because