FCOAGR
CONFIDENTIAL
4KCK 011/12
RECEIVED IN RECISTAY
2 4 JUN1985
DESK OFFICER
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Dr Willson
Private Secretary
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REGISTAV
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Secret of State
FROM:
A C Galsworthy, HKD
Some of the terms that
DATE:
14 June 1985
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CC:
Mr Fifoot, Legal Advisers
Sir W.Harding
HONG KONG: LEGI SLATIVE COUNCIL (POWERS AND PRIVILEGES) BILL 1985
1.
I understand that the Secretary of State has expressed concern
about the adverse publicity surrounding the Legislative Council
(Powers and Privileges) Bill.
2. The Bill was conceived
conceived and drafted in Hong Kong late last year as part of the arrangements thought necessary for the introduction of the new style Legislative Council in October this year. It was thought, rightly in my view, that any legislation on this subject in Hong Kong would need to be self-contained, and should not refer directly to practice at Westminster.
3. The Bill followed а standard pattern of legislation developed
for legislatures in other ex-colonial or Commonwealth territories. The closest parallel is in fact the equivalent law in Singapore.
4.
The Bill was referred to an ad hoc group of Legislative Council
members late last year. The group was chaired by Maria Tam. The report of the ad hoc group recommended a number of amendments which
were incorporated in the Bill before it was introduced to the
Council on 15 May.
5.
The Bill at first attracted little attention. However just
before its Second Reading was due on 29 May, criticisms of certain
aspects began to surface, particularly from the Hong Kong
Journalists Association, who were concerned about the passages on
CONFIDENTIAL