2.25 AS STATED IN PARAGRAPH 2.8 IT IS DIFFICULT TO JUDGE WHAT CONSTITUTES A GOOD RESPONSE IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THIS UNIQUE EXERCISE. IT HAS NOT BEEN POSSIBLE TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT WHICH THE PERCEPTION THAT THE DRAFT AGREEMENT COULD NOT BE ALTERED AFFECTED OVERALL RESPONSE. SIMILARLY, ALTHOUGH ASSURANCES WERE GIVEN BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE THAT THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ON ALL POINTS OF THE DRAFT AGREEMENT WOULD BE OF VALUE TO THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT AND IN THE CONTINUING DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA, PARTICULARLY IN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO SAY WHETHER THESE ASSURANCES HAVE AFFECTED RESPONSE.
2.26
THE VOLUME OF RESPONSE TO THE WHITE PAPER FAR EXCEEDED THAT TO PREVIOUS MAJOR CONSULTATIVE DOCUMENTS AS ILLUSTRATED BELOW :-
TOTAL NUMBER OF
DIRECT SUBMISSIONS
RECEIVED FROM
INDIVIDUALS AND
SUBJECT
(1) 1980 GREEN PAPER ON SA PATTERN
ORGANIZATIONS
150
OF DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION IN
HONG KONG
(2)
REVIEW OF EDUCATION POLICY
1983
176
(3)
GREEN PAPER ON THE FURTHER
DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT 1984
364
(4)
THE WHITE PAPER ON THE DRAFT
AGREEMENT 1984
2,494
2.27
WHILST LETTERS FROM INDIVIDUALS ARE OF IMPORTANCE, ESPECIALLY IN THEIR EXPRESSION OF PERSONAL ANXIETY AND
DETAILED COMMENTS, THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT THAT THE RESPONSE
FROM REPRESENTATIVE BODIES, ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS OF ALL
KINDS MUST CARRY GREATER WEIGHT. THE SCALE OF RESPONSE AND
THE RANGE AND QUALITY OF THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE 679 ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS WHICH MADE SUBMISSIONS TO THE OFFICE
IS VERY IMPRESSIVE.
SECRET-
12.28: