CONFIDENTIAL
DRAFT SPEECH BY LADY YOUNG
SECOND READING OF THE HONG KONG BILL, 19 FEBRUARY 1985
My Lord I beg to move that the Bill be now read a second
time.
The Bill before the House today is short and I hope
relatively straightforward: but it is one of great
significance. It provides for the termination on 1 July
1997 of British sovereignty and jurisdiction over Hong Kong, and that date will sever
on that date will sever the links of government between the United Kingdom and Hong Kong which were first established some 150 years ago.bea
& Step
The
The House had an opportunity to debate the agreement which
this Bill is designed to implement on 10 December. On
that occasion the House overwhelmingly approved the Government's intention to sign the agreement. Government was much encouraged by the strong support given to the agreement by all quarters of Your Lordships' House. Later in December my Rt hon Friend the Prime Minister,
accompanied by my rt hon and learned Friend, the Foreign
and Commonwealth Secretary, visited Peking, where the agreement was signed on 19 December.
CONFIDENTIAL