GR 300
RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG 250645Z JUN 85
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1266 OF 25 JUNE
LEGCO (POWERS AND PRIVILEGES) BILL.
TOP COPY
FOR YOUR INFORMATION, FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF ARTICLE IN THIS
MORNING'S
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
BEGINS:
LUCE TO INTERVENE
FROM DAVID HEALY
LONDON, JUNE
HKCK 011/12
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY 2 5 JUN1985
SK OFFICER
PA
Ck
THE FOREIGN OFFICE MINISTER, MR RICHARD LUCE, IS TO ASK THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES TO ALLOW MORE CONSULTATION BEFORE THE NEXT
STAGE OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (POWERS AND PRIVILIGES) BILL ON WEDNESDAY, THE SHADOW ATTORNEY-GENERAL, MR JOHN MORRIS, SAID TODAY.
MR MORRIS TOOK COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE MEASURE FROM HONG KONG
LAWYERS TO MR LUCE AND EXPLAINED THEIR CONCERN THAT IT COULD
REPRESENT A THREAT TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH IN THE TERRITORY.
MR MORRIS SAID AFTER THE MEETING THAT MR LUCE HAD TOLD HIM THE
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WAS GOING TO DROP THE PROVISION WHICH WOULD
MAKE IT A CRIMINAL OFFENCE TO INSULT A MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
MR MORRIS SAID HE WELCOMED THIS CHANGE.
HE SAID THE LATEST AMENDMENT SHOWS THAT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH
PRIOR CONSULTATION AND IT WAS AN INDICATION OF HOW THE
LEGISLATION HAS BEEN MISHANDLED. 11
''IT SHOWS A LACK OF AWARENESS A LITTLE MORE EXPERIENCE WOULD
HAVE ENSURED THERE WAS MORE SATISFACTORY CONSULTATION.
''A GREAT DEAL OF ANXIETY COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED,
HE SAID.
MR MORRIS SAID MR LUCE WAS GOING TO ASK THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, TO SEE LAWYERS' REPRESENTATIVES BEFORE WEDNESDAY.
-
''IT IS APPARENT TO ME IT DOES NOT TAKE A GREAT LAWYER TO
REALISE THIS THAT SOME OF THE WORDS CONTAINED IN THE BILL WOULD
CAUSE VERY GREAT ANXIETY IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.
''HOW MUCH MORE ANXIETY DOES IT CAUSE WHEN PEOPLE ARE MOVING
FROM A NON-ELECTED TO AN ELECTED SYSTEM AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF
THE HONG KONG AGREEMENT, '' HE SAID.
ENDS.
YOUDE
LIMITED
(2
REGISTRY
#Action Taken
HKD
PS
PS/MR LUCE
SIR W HARDING MR WILSON
RESTRICTED
COPIES TO:
MR FIFOOT,
LEGAL ADVISERS HKGO, LONDON