of Hong Kong. He questioned how valuable it would be to send a commission to Hong Kong to assess opinion.
(c) Sir Humphrey Atkins (Conservative) said that we should know at
once if an agreement was not acceptable in Hong Kong. We should
consult EXCO and LEGCO, but not confine ourselves only to these
bodies. We should also consult District Boards and other
organisations.
(d) Mr Ashdown (Liberal) said that the acceptability of the
agreement must be decided by the House. A referendum was out of
the question but a visit by the Select Committee on Foreign
Affairs to Hong Kong might be a useful means of assessing opinion. Mr Hill (Conservative) agreed.
(e) Mr Wrigglesworth (SDP) said that there were a myriad of channels
to express opinion in Hong Kong.
(f) Sir Peter Blaker (Conservative) said the House would need to
know the views of the people of Hong Kong before it could debate
any agreement. This was echoed by Sir Ian Percival
(Conservative) and other speakers in the Debate.
6. THE INITIAL BRITISH NEGOTIATING POSITION:
(a) Mr Healey criticised the Prime Minister for her "strident public
assertion of continuing British sovereignty" in 1982, which he
said set the talks back.
(b) Mr Heath said that we should have adopted our present
negotiating position in 1982. this criticism was echoed by
Mr Ashdown (Liberal).
(c) Sir Paul Bryan (Conservative) said that our opening position in the negotiations was the least that the people of Hong Kong would expect.
8.
IMMIGRATION:
(a) Mr Healey said that it was necessary to avoid the "moral
dilemma " of being faced with millions of British citizens in
Hong Kong wishing to settle in the UK.
(b) Mr Enoch Powell (Ulster Unionist) said that British nationals in
Hong Kong would become aliens in 1997, and there must be
absolutely no doubt that they would not have the right of abode
in the United Kingdom.
(c) Mr Ashdown (Liberal) asked for an assurance that British