Za ka mans. The large varietatean banane kada su minna var Ka Savdhani kama has a
CONFIDENTIAL
178
145350
MDHIAN 6891
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TELNO 1129
TO DESKBY 02120OZ FCO
OF 021015Z APRIL 20
(250)
MCO 84014 нко
RECEIVED INT
0 1 JUN 1990
DESK OFFICER INDEX
PA
*GISTRY
Action Taken
YOUR TELNO 691: UK NATIONALITY SCHEME: COMPOSITION OF STEERING GROUP
1. I UNDERSTAND THE HOME SECRETARY'S CONCERN TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE ROLES PLAYED BY HMG AND HKG AS LAID DOWN IN THE BILL ALTHOUGH I AM NONE TO CLEAR WHY JUDICIAL REVIEW IN THE UK MIGHT BE MORE LIKELY WITH A HOME OFFICE OFFICIAL ON THE COMMITTEE ADVISING ME, AND NOT/NOT LIKELY IF THERE IS ANOTHER UK OFFICIAL IN THE SHAPE OF THE
SENIOR BRITISH TRADE COMMISSIONER.
2. LEAVING ASIDE THE POINT ABOUT JUDICIAL REVIEW, I CAN SEE THAT THERE IS SOME PRESENTATIONAL ADVANTAGE IN UK TERMS OF HAVING THE SENIOR BRITISH TRADE COMMISSIONER ON THE STEERING GROUP: BUT I FEAR THAT HIS MEMBERSHIP IN THE GROUP WILL HAVE THE OPPOSITE EFFECT IN HONG KONG TERMS. HOWEVER UNFAIRLY, CRITICS WILL POINT TO HIS MEMBERSHIP OF THE STEERING GROUP AS EVIDENCE THAT THE SCHEME IS
BEING DESIGNED TO SERVE LARGELY UK ECONOMIC INTERESTS.
3. I ALSO BELIEVE IT WOULD BE MORE ACCEPTABLE TO OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE FOR A BRITISH BUSINESSMAN TO PRESENT THE INTERESTS OF UK FIRMS IN HONG KONG RATHER THAN THE BTC. THE STEERING COMMITTEE IS AFTER ALL ADVISING ME ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SCHEME. I THINK IT WOULD PUT PETER HEAP IN RATHER AN AWKWARD POSITION TO SIT ON A COMMITTEE SET UP TO ADVISE ME UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE CHIEF SECRETARY WHEN HE HAS HIS OWN SEPARATE, AND DIRECT, CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION TO HMG.
4. THE REASON FOR THINKING OF CHARLES MACKAY OF INCHCAPE AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE WAS TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE PRESENTATIONAL ADVANTAGE IN UK TERMS WITHOUT RAISING COUNTERBALANCING PROBLEMS HERE. HAVING THOUGHT THE MATTER OVER, I STILL THINK THE MEMBERSHIP I PROPOSED IN MY TELNO 1066 IS THE RIGHT MIX. THE ADDITION OF A HOME OFFICE OFFICIAL WOULD NOT POSE THE PROBLEMS OF PERCEPTION MENTIONED IN PARA 2 ABOVE. I SHOULD STILL BE HAPPY TO INCLUDE SUCH AN OFFICIAL. BUT, IF THIS POSES PROBLEMS FOR THE HOME SECRETARY, HIS MEMBERSHIP IS CLEARLY NOT ESSENTIAL.
4
PAGE
1
CONFIDENTIAL