DSR 11 (Revised)
DRAFT: minute/letter/teleletter/despatch/note
FROM:
MR LUCE
DEPARTMENT:
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
TO:
Top Secret
Secret
Confidential
Restricted
Unclassified
PRIVACY MARKING
CAVEAT.....
Christopher Murphy Esq MP
House of Commons
London SW1 OAA
SUBJECT:
TEL. NO:
TYPE: Draft/Final 1+
Reference
Your Reference
Copies to:
..In Confidence
In my speech winding up the debate on the Second Reading
of the Hong Kong Bill on 21 January, I said that I would
write to those Members whose points I did not feel that I
asked why paragraph 2(1)(b) of the
had answered.
schedule used the word "may" instead of the word "shall"
•
Enclosures-flag(s)...........
The word "may" is used in para 2(1)(b) because
acquisition of the new status by BDTCs is not compulsory.
It will be for former BDTCs to opt for the new status. I
can of course as sure you that there
no suggestion that
is
the Government will retain any discretion to deny that
status to any person who opts for it and satisfies the
conditions for its acquisition.
Page 45Page 46