CONFIDENTIAL
042024
MDLIAN 2109 .
(C)
4.
THERE IS NO QUESTION OF OUR ABOLISHING ADVISORY COMMITTEES, WHICH ARE EXTREMELY USEFUL AS A SOURCE OF INDEPENDENT PROFESSIONAL ADVICE IN A WIDE RANGE OF POLICY AREAS. BUT WE HAVE ALREADY TAKEN STEPS TO DEPOLITICISE THEM BY, AS FAR AS PRACTICABLE, REMOVING OMELCO MEMBERS SERVING ON THEM IN ORDER TO EMPHASISE THEIR PROFESSIONAL AN NON-PARTISAN CHARACTER.
I HAVE NOT YET HAD A CHANCE TO DISCUSS LANG'S REPORT IN DETAIL WITH ALLEN LEE OR LYDIA DUNN. BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY BOTH AGREE THAT HIS RECOMMENDATIONS, AS THEY AFFECT LEGCO, ARE GENERALLY ON THE RIGHT LINES. THEY DIFFER MAINLY ON THE PACE OF CHANGE. LYDIA DUNN PREFERS A MORE GRADUALIST APPROACH, WITH THE TIMING OF IMPLEMENTATION LEFT VAGUE. ALLEN LEE IS PERHAPS MORE CONSCIOUS OF THE IMPLICATIONS OF LEGCO WITH AN ELECTED MAJORITY.
5.
I AM SOMEWHAT SURPRISED THAT YOU ARE THINKING OF BRIEFING LORD CAITHNESS ON THESE PROPOSALS, UNLESS YOU ARE THINKING SIMPLY OF MAKING HIM AWARE OF THE PAPERS IN CASE ONE OF THE TWO SENIOR MEMBERS MENTIONS IT. AS EXPLAINED ABOVE, THE PROPOSALS HAVE NO STATUS OUTSIDE THE OMELCO LONDON OFFICE.
6.
AS YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE ADMINISTRATION WE HAVE BEEN GIVING A GREAT DEAL OF THOUGHT TO THE IMPLICATIONS THAT THE EVOLUTION OF LEGCO WILL HAVE FOR THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXCO AND LEGCO. IN MANY AREAS, THIS THINKING IS ALONG THE SAME LINES AS ALISTAIR LANG'S. IT WOULD BE BEST IF ANY BRIEFING FOR LORD CAITHNESS FOCUSED ON THE ADMINISTRATION'S PROPOSALS. WE WILL SEND YOU THE LATEST PAPERS BY BAG.
7
WHERE INCIDENTALLY DID YOU GET YOUR COPY OF THE LANG REPORT?
WILSON
YYYY
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CONFIDENTIAL