CONFIDENTIAL
FM BTC HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 294
OF 211021Z OCTOBER 91
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INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
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MDLIAN 8388
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HONG KONG TELNO 3268: FUTURE OF THE BRITISH COUNCIL
1. IT IS HARDLY FOR ME TO QUESTION THE JUDGEMENT OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT LEGAL ADVISERS, BUT IT IS PERHAPS RELEVANT TO POINT OUT THAT WHEN THEY SUGGEST (PARA 4 OF TUR) THAT IT BECOMES DEBATABLE WHETHER THE BRITISH COUNCIL ARE PERFORMING A CONSULAR FUNCTION ON ACCOUNT OF THEIR REVENUE EARNING LANGUAGE TEACHING, THE BRITISH COUNCIL WOULD BE FAR FROM THE ONLY PART OF THE CONSULATE GENERAL RAISING REVENUE BY CHARGING FEES FOR ITS ACTIVITIES. THIS OFFICE CHARGES FEES FOR A LARGE AND INCREASING RANGE OF ITS ACTIVITIES, WHICH WILL OF COURSE CONTINUE WHEN OUR FUNCTIONS ARE MERGED INTO THOSE OF THE CONSULATE GENERAL. OUR VISA AND CONSULAR SECTIONS WILL ALSO CHARGE FEES, MANY OF THEM QUITE SUBSTANTIAL, FOR MANY OF THEIR ACTIVITIES (AND SO FOR THAT MATTER DO THE VISA DEPARTMENTS OF CHINESE DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS). I WONDER THEREFORE HOW THERE IS ANY SIGNIFICANT CASE IN PRINCIPLE FOR REGARDING THE BRITISH COUNCIL AS DIFFERENT IN THIS RESPECT.
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