PS
No.10
14 March 1990
I should be grateful if you could seek the Prime Minister's
approval for Mrs Maude to accompany Mr Maude on his visit to
Hong Kong from 6-11 April. This would be Mrs Maude's first
visit abroad with her husband at public expense and her only
visit in 1990.
Mr Maude's visit will be taking place around the time of the
introduction of the Hong Kong Nationality Bill in Parliament.
The Secretary of State is keen that Mr Maude's visit should
not be seen as a response to this but rather as one of his
routine visits to Hong Kong. He thought it might help to get
this message across if Mrs Maude accompanied Mr Maude.
Mr Maude will have many pressures on his time while in Hong
Kong and Mrs Maude could usefully take on some of the visits
which he will not be able to undertake himself. He thinks for
example that it would be helpful if Mrs Maude, who is an
architect, could visit the Land Development Corporation and
see something of their urban renewal projects. She might also
visit the Kowloon Walled City to look at the progress on the
clearance projects.
Private Secretary