CODE 18-77
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Mr Johnson, Parliamentary Unit
-Reference.
HKK 040/53
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
27 DEC 1984
Pa
DESK OFFICEK
REGISTRY
INDEX
PA
Action Taken
HONG KONG BILL
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1. We spoke the other day about backers for the Hong Kong Bill.
2. Para 9.2 of the Guide to Legislative Procedures says that the Parliamentary Clerk, after consulting the Department, seeks the agreement of his own Minister and then of the Ministers concerned to the list of backers, and then sends it via the legal adviser to Parliamentary Counsel before notice of presentation is given.
3. We need to know the proposed backers before the Hong Kong Bill goes to the Legislation Committee on 9 January, and
wuld be grateful if you could submit the list to the Secretary of State and arrange its clearance with Ministers
soon as possible. We would recommend the following backers:
as
Prime Minister
Lord President of the Council (Lord Whitelaw)
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Secretary of State for the Home Department (Leon Brittan) Chancellor of the Exchequer (Nigel Lawson)
Secretary of State for Defence (Michael Heseltine)
Lord Privy Seal (John Biffen)
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (Norman Tebbit) Attorney General (Sir Michael Havers)
Lady Young
Mr Luce
This includes the Ministers on OD(K), as well as Lady Young who will introduce the Bill in the House of Lords. It is within the limit of 12 backers set out in the Guide to Legislative Procedures.
21 December 1984
Jonathan R11.
J N Powell
Hong Kong Department
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