CONFIDENTIAL
2709
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OPEN TO THE PRESS AND THE PUBLIC, AND IS A MATTER OF
PUBLIC RECORD.
II) OUR PRESENT INTENTION IS THAT ALL THE NATIONALITY
PROVISIONS WILL BE COVERED UNDER A SINGLE ORDER, WHICH
WOULD BE ASSESSED AND DEBATED AS A SINGLE PACKAGE.
III) WE CANNOT CONCEIVE THAT PROVISIONS OF THIS IMPORTANCE
WOULD NOT BE A MATTER FOR FULL DEBATE, ALMOST
CERTAINLY ON THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE. EVEN IF THERE
WAS NO DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN PARTIES, THE LEVEL OF
PARLIAMENTARY AND PUBLIC INTEREST WOULD NO DOUBT
REQUIRE THIS.
3. WHERE THE TIMETABLE FOR THE BILL IS CONCERNED, EXCO MAY FIND
IT HELPFUL TO HAVE AN ACCOUNT OF THE SEQUENCE OF STEPS, WHICH IS
AS FOLLOWS:
HOUSE OF COMMONS
A) FIRST READING (INTRODUCTION: A FORMALITY WITHOUT DEBATE)
B) SECOND READING (THE OCCASION FOR FULL DEBATE OF THE
BILL'S GENERAL PRINCIPLES).
THE DATE FOR THE SECOND READING IS SETTLED BY THE OFFICES OF
THE CHIEF WHIP AND THE LEADER OF THE HOUSE, HAVING REGARD TO
GOVERNMENT BUSINESS ON THE ONE HAND AND THE NEED TO GIVE
MEMBERS TIME TO STUDY THE BILL ON THE OTHER. THE CONVENTION
IS FOR TWO WEEKENDS TO BE ALLOWED BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND
READINGS.
C) COMMITTEE STAGE (LINE-BY-LINE SCRUTINY OF THE BILL).
MOST GOVERNMENT BILLS ARE COMMITTED AFTER SECOND READING TO
A STANDING COMMITTEE. ALTERNATIVELY THE BILL CAN BE TAKEN
BY A COMMITTEE OF THE FULL HOUSE IF SPEED IS ESSENTIAL
AND/OR IF THE BILL IS OF MAJOR CONSTITUTIONAL IMPORTANCE.
WE BELIEVE THAT THIS LATTER COURSE IS LIKELY TO BE FOLLOWED
IN THE CASE OF THE HONG KONG BILL.
D) REPORT STAGE (CONSIDERATION OF ANY AMENDMENTS INTRODUCED
AT THE COMMITTEE STAGE).
IT IS DESIRABLE FOR THERE TO BE TWO WEEKENDS BETWEEN THE
COMMITTEE STAGE AND THE REPORT STAGE. IF THE BILL IS PASSED
UNAMENDED BY A COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE HOUSE, THERE IS NO
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CONFIDENTIAL