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Mr Galsworthy
Lswort
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ONE.
'IDENTIAL
HKK 040/12
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Hong Kong
I mentioned to you last week that when the Governor of Hong Kong called on the Secretary of State on 22 January there was a discussion about whether Ministers would agree to present an Annual Report on Hong Kong to Parliament, for which there had been some pressure in the debate on the Hong Kong Bill. The Governor explained that there were already a number of documents which could be adapted without too much difficulty to make such a report. The Secretary of State said that he had been initially disinclined to agree to such a Report. He was concerned that any exercise on an annual basis would simply become routine. It would make it all that more difficult to focus attention on really important events. Nevertheless, in the light of the Governor's assurance that such a Report, covering the general spectrum of developments in Hong Kong over the previous year, could be prepared without diverting resources from other more important tasks, he prepared to go along with this. The Governor agreed to let the Secretary of State have some ideas in due course.
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I agree with you that it would perhaps be suitable fairly. soon to have a word with the Governor about his proposals. the course of the discussion the Secretary of State agreed that we should allow this amount of room for manoeuvre for Ministers during discussions on the Hong Kong Bill in the House at the most tactically advantageous moment. However, it must be made clear that the Report would not be about the Joint Liaison Group. Nor would it be a massive compilation specially prepared. It would be very much on the basis set out above.
28 January 1985
Lv Apregard
(L V Appleyard)
cc:
PS/Mr Luce PS/PUS
Sir W Harding
Dr Wilson Mr Mound
CONFIDENTIAL