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Hon Members will have heard something of this for
themselves from the two groups from Hong Kong who are
now in London. Many will have met the delegation of
Unofficial members of Hong Kong's Executive and Legislative
Councils. I had a long discussion with them myself
yesterday evening. I should like to take this opportunity
to pay a tribute to the very important contribution that
the Unofficial members of the two Councils make, in
their different ways, to the administration and the
life of Hong Kong. The Unofficial members of the
Executive Council in particular play an important dual
role. On the one hand, they are close advisers of the
Governor. And on the other, they seek understandably
to express their understanding of the wishes and
concerns of the people of Hong Kong to a wider public,
including of course
members of this House.
It was in that latter, independent, capacity
that they associated themselves with the statement which
I understand has been sent to all members of the House.
The House will readily understand
the matter absolutely beyond doubt
-
but I wish to place
that that statement
Its terms
was issued entirely on their own initiative.
were not the subject of any prior consultation with Her
Majesty's Government, either in London or in Hong Kong.
To put it plainly, they were exercising the right of
free speech, as it exists today in Hong Kong.