BACKGROUND AND ARGUMENT
CONFIDENTIAL
3.
We wish to move ahead as
consideration of the Hong Kong Bill.
I t would also permit
ensure this.
rapidly as possible with the The proposed time table would the Hong Kong Government
to
arrange for a confidential briefing to be given to the Unofficial Members of the Executive and Legislative Councils in advance of
publication. The Governor would favour this. It would help to
alleviate the concerns of UMELCO, in particular about the nationality provisions of the Bill, and to lessen the risk that they would intervene with public comment and lobbying of MP s during
Parliament's consideration of the Bill.
4.
Publication of the Bill would take place before the coming
weekend. By convention two weekends should elapse between the first and second readings. If publication did not take place until the week beginning 14 January the second reading could not be until the week beginning 28 January, when the Secretary of State will be away for part of the week. If publication takes place as proposed the second reading could be in the week beginning 21 January, when both the Secretary of State and Mr Luce will be in London.
5. In the view of the Chief Whip's Office it would be acceptable to
delay publication of the Bill until Friday i f the first reading takes place on Thursday (although could not be delayed any longer than this). Such a delay would enable
enable the Governor arrange the
proposed advance briefing of UMELCO. If the Minister authorises
✡before the publication of
millbe away.
To
such briefing we will instruct the Governor to give it only shortly
the Bill and on strict terms of
danger of any leaks.
the
confidentiality to avo id would of course not give copies of the Bill to UMELCO at before they had been made available to Parliament.
6.
The Governor
this stage,
Mr Luce will be away on the day proposed for introduction of the
Bill, as will the Secretary of State. I understand that it would be in order for either a Foreign Office Minister (Mr Rifkind or Mr
assent at the First
Renton) or a Whip to
Reading of the Bill.
indicate the Government's
CONFIDENTIAL