mase1
JM
CONFIDENTIAL
31412.
RECENT
20 AUG 1993
...Y
FROM:
JC Morris
Hong Kong Department
DATE:
20 August 1993
Mr Masefield
PS/PUS
CC:
LAST PAPER
PS/Mr Goodlad
Sir J Coles
Miss Brooks, Legal Counsellor
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED VISITS: GREG KNIGHT MP AND ANDREW MITCHELL MP
1. Mr Knight and Mr Mitchell have received invitations for Hong Kong Government-organised visits to the territory, including sponsored return fares, accommodation and local transport. The Cabinet Office have queried whether it is appropriate for Government Whips to accept expenses-paid visits of this kind. Questions of probity, I should imagine,
would be for the Select Committee on Members' Interests to determine, but from a foreign policy perspective I see no
problem.
2. There are at least two precedents of which we are aware: Mr Goodlad and John Taylor MP each went on sponsored visits to Hong Kong as serving Whips. It is also common for Ministers (from all departments) to accept the Governor's hospitality when visiting Hong Kong, (to stay at Government House etc), although Hong Kong does not offer (nor would Ministers accept) sponsored fares.
CONFIDENTIAL