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FROM: PS/LORD GLENARTHUR DATE: 29 April 1988
CC: Private Secretary
PS/Mr Eggar
Mr McLaren
Mr Bacon, PRU News Department
Mr
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HONG KONG: LORD GLENARTHUR'S TARGETTED DRINKS PARTY
1. Lord Glenarthur thought that the drinks party on 27 April for MPs to discuss Hong Kong went very well indeed. Attendance was very good, although Lord Glenarthur would prefer to give any future briefing in the Houses of Parliament if a room can be found. The following MPs were present:
Conservative
Sir Peter Blaker MP
Mrs Virginia Bottomley MP Mr Robert Adley MP Mr James Couchman MP Mr Alastair Goodlad MP Mr Robert Hughes MP
Mr Michael Marshall MP Mr Hal Miller MP
Mr Hugh Dykes MP
Mr George Walden MP
Mr Greg Knight MP
2.
Labour
Mr Jack Ashley MP Dr Jeremy Bray MP Mr Andrew Faulds MP Mr George Foulkes MP Mr Alfred Morris MP
The main topics of interest were as follows:
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(a) Basic Law. A number of MPs (particularly Labour) expressed concern about whether China would be at liberty to interpret or amend the Basic Law as it wished. Mr Ashley, for example, picked up the Martin Lee point about the apparent incompatibility of the Basic Law with Chinese law.
Many MPs expressed interest in the consultation process which was about to begin in Hong Kong, and in particular whether the process would be a genuine one. They wanted to know whether, and if so how, HMG would make its views known to the PRC. There were some questions about whether the House should debate the Basic Law and what the likely reaction of the PRC would be.
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