Secretory?
Thank you
&&
8/3
CONFIDENTIAL AND PERSONAL
FROM:
PS/Lord Glenarthur
M
Paul, HRD
DATE:
7 March 1989
CC:
Mr Gillmore
To enter please
Josey Coul.
Private Secretary
Mr McLaren
Mr Paul, HKD
(P/hard Gearther) 9/3
HONG KONG: SECRETARY OF STATE'S BREAKFAST WITH LORD YOUNG
1.
Lord Glenarthur was grateful to see a copy of your minute of today's date to Mr Paul. As the Secretary of State assumed, Lord Young's claim to be in constant touch with Lord Glenarthur is, at best, an absolute exaggeration. Lord Glenarthur and Lord Young mention Hong Kong issues to each other from time to time, but they certainly have nothing like regular or frequent let alone constant contact on this. Besides anything else, Lord Young is hardly ever in the House of Lords!
he
2.
Like the rest of us, Lord Glenarthur is fully aware of Lord Young's somewhat "heretical" views about some Hong Kong-related issues. On the occasions when Lord Young has mentioned these to Lord Glenarthur in person, Lord Glenarthur has always stood his ground. For example, on passports, has always pointed up our concerns about the effect on confidence in Hong Kong of any proposal to cream off talent (a point which Lord Young dismisses as the departmental view at official level).
3.
Lord Young did mention to Lord Glenarthur that he would be minuting to the Prime Minister about, among other things, his idea for a London-based Trade Commissioner. Since this was just days before Sir David Wilson's meeting with the Prime Minister, Lord Glenarthur said that, if Lord Young was planning to minute, he should get this in quickly so as not to cross wires with our briefing for the call. He mentioned this point to Sir Percy Cradock, who happened to be calling on him that day.
HKB 040/4
ECFA
16 MAR 1989
SK OPCICER
•;5{
1
Robert Burt
Robert Court PS/Lord Glenarthur
8 March 1989
CONFIDENTIAL AND PERSONAL
33)