GPS 400
RESTRICTED
DESKBY 1003DOZ
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG 10034OZ DEC 84
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 3746 OF 010 DECEMBER
197
YOUR TELNO 2451
AL.
TOP COPY
HKK 026/11
PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION : UMELCO VISIT
QUESTION (A). SOME MEMBERS OF THE UMELCO DELEGATION ALSO INTEND TO ATTEND THE DEBATE ON THE DRAFT AGREEMENT IN THE HOUSE OF
LORDS ON 10 DECEMBER. YOU MAY WISH TO ADD A SUITABLE REFERENCE
TO THIS AT THE END OF YOUR PROPOSED REPLY.
•
2. QUESTION (B) THE ESTIMATED COST OF THE RECENT VISIT OF UMELCO MEMBERS TO LONDON IS APPROX. DOLLARS 500,000 (APPROX. POUNDS 52,600). THIS WILL BE MET BY THE HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FROM THE
PUBLIC FUNDS APPROPRIATED EACH YEAR FOR THE EXPENSES OF THE UMELCO OFFICE.
3. FOR BACKGROUND, THE BREAKDOWN OF THE ESTIMATED COST IS
AS FOLLOWS
(A) AIR FARES DOLLARS 189,000
(B) HOTELS DOLLARS 106,000
(C) SUBSISTENCE - DOLLARS 45,000
(D) TRAVEL EXPENSES IN BRITAIN
DOLLARS 76,000
(E) OTHER EXPENSES (1.E. ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS, HIRE OF SECRETARIES,
RECEPTION, ETC) - DOLLARS 84,000
4. UNOFFICIALS ARE NOT OF COURSE, PAID. THEY MAY CLAIM UP TO HKD 8,700 PER MONTH FOR EXPENSES INCURRED ON UMELCO BUSINESS. THE
COST OF THE VISIT OF THE DELEGATION TO LONDON IS A PERFECTLY
LEGITIMATE CHARGE TO THE RELEVANT EXPENDITURE HEAD (SEE HEAD
112, SUB-HEAD 113 AND THE GENERAL MEMORANDUM NOTE ON PAGE 6
OF THE 1985/86 ESTIMATES)
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