CONFIDENTIAL
Background and Argument
3. The Hong Kong Government White Paper on representative
government will be published on 10 February. The decisions which it
contains, in particular on the introduction of a directly elected
element to LegCo in 1991, are likely to arouse some attention both
in Parliament and in the media.
A
4. Where Parliament is concerned, I assume that Ministers would
not consider the event of sufficient magnitude or domestic interest to justify an oral Ministerial statement. The appropriate procedure
would seem to be to inspire a written PQ for reply in both Houses on
10 February. Given the degree of parliamentary interest in the
question of direct elections, it would be disingenuous to make no
reference to the issue in the reply. Our draft therefore lists all
the main decisions contained in the White Paper: we do not want to give the impression that it focusses exclusively on direct elections. We shall be receiving copies of the White Paper from Hong Kong in time to place them in the libraries of both Houses in advance of the
reply.
5. I have discussed with Mrs Bottomley what briefing of MPs might be appropriate. Her suggestion is that Lord Glenarthur might best explore this informally with Sir Peter Blaker. A full meeting of the Hong Kong Parliamentary Group would seem rather too formal on this occasion. Lord Glenarthur might instead offer to invite Sir Peter Blaker to bring the office-holders of the group, together with
any other backbenchers with a particular interest, to an informal drink (which could best take place on the evening of 10 February).
This format would permit the Minister (perhaps supported by officials) to explain the background to the decisions in the White Paper. If Sir Peter Blaker feels that there would be insufficient interest to justify a briefing, no doubt he would so advise.
6. I am discussing separately with News Department how best to tackle the press. Despite the thorough briefing which they have received both from ourselves and from Miss Lydia Dunn, they remain
generally unconvinced by the case for a cautious approach to direct elections. The very satisfactory editorial in yesterday's "Daily
CONFIDENTIAL