CO1AIA
HKK 011/12
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
-
- 5 JUL 1985
REGISTRY
CONFIDENTIAL
48
INTEX
PA
motion Taken
FROM: W G EHRMAN,
HK D
DATE: 21 June 1985
Private Secretary
cc: PS/Mr Luce
Dr Wilson
A
Mr Bickford, Legal Advisers
HONG KONG: LEGCO (POWERS AND PRIVILEGES) BILL 1985
1.
The Secretary of State will recall Mr Galsworthy's submission of
14 June on the Legislative Council (Powers and Privileges) Bill.
2.
LEGCO unofficials were expected to decide today (but we await confirmation) that the Bill should proceed (as envisaged in paragraph 6 of the submission)
to its Committee stage and third
reading at the next LEGCO meeting on 26 June. The Governor
envisages that the Bill will pass on 26 June and then receive his
assent.
B
3. In the light of further criticism in Hong Kong of the amended
version of the Bill, the Hong Kong Government will make some
additional slight amendments on 26 June. These remove the only remaining penalty for "insulting" LEGCO members on their way to the Chamber, which could well have come in for criticism.
4.
Hong Kong advise that while media interest has subsided
extent the Bill remains a matter of considerable sensitivity and
that there are numerous calls for it to be delayed until the
the new
legislature assembles in the autumn or even until 1987 when the Constitutional review is promised.
5.
There will therefore be further criticism, which may reach the However since the calls to delay the legislation are based on the thesis that this non-elected legislature is not competent to pass such legislation, it is difficult to see how either the Hong
UK.