J M LYON
IND
B4 Division
E.R. Lunar House (Extension 2832)
8 May 1986
Mr Woodland
tina 340/l нии
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
12 MAY 1986
DESK OFFICER INDEX
PA
R.STRY Action Taken
706
NTY/86 1/387/9
CC
Mr Fittall
Mr Hudson
DEBATE ON HONG KONG NATIONALITY ORDER: LORDS OPENING SPEECH
Mr Hyde
Mr Phillips
Mr Pakenham-Walsh
Mr Holmes
Mr Fries
Mr Acton
Mr Bickham Mr Hum (FCO)
1.
Our latest information is that the House of Lords debate on the Hong Kong
Nationality Order will take place on Friday 16 May. We understand that it will be
the main business of the day, starting at 11.30 a.m., and that it is likely to
last for several hours.
2.
As you know, this timing is subject to continuing discussions with the
business managers.
We thought the Minister might find it helpful, however, to
see at this stage the draft of an opening speech for the debate. This is attached.
While in certain key passages it has necessarily to follow the wording of the
speech which we submitted for the Home Secretary's use in the Commons debate, we
have deliberately recast the rest of the speech, partly to make it a little shorter,
and partly to freshen the presentation of the arguments. We have, however,
maintained the focus on the ethnic minorities and the House is bound to pay
particular attention to the arguments in these passages.
3. The draft speech has been agreed with Foreign Office colleagues, and they are
now showing it to Lady Young who may wish to offer comments.
4.
Given the Opposition's motion against the Order, we can expect a difficult
debate. I know that Lord Glenarthur is discussing the handling with the business
managers. We shall of course be ready to offer any revisions to the draft which
he may think is necessary in the light of these discussions, and will any way need
to review the speech again following the debate in the Commons. We shall also
provide the Minister shortly with the same sort of background material that he
had for the January debate, including notes for possible use in the winding-up.
7.M. hym
J M LYON