LORD
PRIVY
SEAL
CONFIDENTIAL
HKK 040/4
DEL 985
PRIVY COUNCIL OFFICE
WHITEHALL. LONDON SW1A 2AT
5 December 1985
Dear Daglar.
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HONG KONG
(514
Thank you for your letter of 19 November proposing an early debate on the draft Hong Kong Nationality Order In Council.
I quite understand the commitment to having a preliminary debate on the White Paper so that any points arising can be considered before the draft Order In Council is laid formally. While I recognise the arguments for having a debate in the Commons before the Christmas Recess it seems to me that we would not want to discuss this so soon after the debate in the Legislative Council of Hong Kong that we seem to be giving to real consideration to views expressed in that debate. I propose therefore to fix the debate for sometime in the first week when the House returns in the New Year.
I am writing in similar terms to Geoffrey Howe: and copying this letter to recipients of his minute of 25 November.
Rt Hon Douglas Hurd MP Home Secretary
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John Bike
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JOHN BIFFEN
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