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(iii) Involvement of officials
(a) Mr McLaren stands ready to take the lead in giving oral evidence
at official level if the Committee would like him to do so, eg on
the role of the JLG.
(b) There might also be merit in Hong Kong Government officials
giving evidence on matters such as Vietnamese boat people and
emigration.
(iv) Written evidence: additional submissions
7. In addition to drafting the initial Memorandum, work should now
be put in hand in the Hong Kong Government on a wide range of
background papers, both for possible submission to the Committee and for our own briefing purposes. We are already pursuing our own preparatory research on the background to a number of key issues
such as British nationality legislation and the development of
representative government. But we should not volunteer any
additional memoranda until we know more about the Committee's likely
requirements. In anything we produce for publication, care should
be taken to emphasize Hong Kong's autonomy so as not to undermine the autonomy provisions in the Joint Declaration.
(v) Visit to Hong Kong
(a) The Committee's visit to Hong Kong is likely to arouse
considerable interest in the Hong Kong press. The Committee might
well encounter a hostile reception from some elements in the Hong
Kong press. We should be prepared for the fact that the Committee will probably be asked to give a press conference and that they will
agree to do so.
(b) The Committee will almost certainly with wish to see the Senior
British Trade Commissioner. Mr Holloway should therefore be asked to delay his final departure from Hong Kong until the visit is over.
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