IS
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN —SUPPLEMENT
ISSUED BY GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICES BEACONSFIELD HOUSE, HONG KONG TEL 5-233191
TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1985
SECRETARY OF STATE SPEAKS AT SECOND READING
OF HONG KONG BILL IN PARLIAMENT
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FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF THE SPEECH BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS, SIR GEOFFREY HOWE, WHEN HE MOVED THE SECOND READING OF THE HONG KONG BILL IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS ON MONDAY (JANUARY 21) AFTERNOON IN LONDON:
I BEG TO MOVE, THAT THE BILL BE NOW READ A SECOND TIME. HAVE IT IN COMMAND FROM HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN TO ACQUAINT THE HOUSE THAT HER MAJESTY, HAVING BEEN INFORMED OF THE PURPOSE OF THE HONG KONG BILL, HAS CONSENTED TO PLACE HER PREROGATIVE AND INTERESTS SO FAR AS THEY ARE AFFECTED BY THE BILL, AT THE DISPOSAL OF PARLIAMENT FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE BILL.
A
MR SPEAKER, THE BILL THAT IS BEFORE US TODAY IS SHORT, BUT NEVERTHELESS OF HISTORIC IMPORTANCE.
THE HOUSE HAD A FULL OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THE SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG ON 5 DECEMBER. I WAS HEARTENED BY THE WARMTH AND UNANIMITY OF THE SUPPORT WITH WHICH MEMBERS APPROVED THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO SIGN IT. I AM CONFIDENT THAT IT PROVIDES SATISFACTORILY FOR THE CONTINUED STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG INTO THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY, AS THE HOUSE KNOWS, IT WAS SIGNED BY MY RT HON FRIEND, THE PRIME MINISTER AND HER CHINESE COUNTERPART PREMIER ZHAO ZIYANG IN PEKING ON 19 DECEMBER.
IT WAS CLEAR FROM THE DEBATE IN DECEMBER THAT THE HOUSE SAN THE AGREEMENT AS A GOOD ONE AND ONE THAT MET THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. A NUMBER OF HON AND RT HON MEMBERS RAISED THE CONCERNS EXPRESSED IN HONG KONG ABOUT CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE AGREEMENT. THESE CONCERNS HAVE ALSO BEEN FULLY DOCUMENTED IN THE REPORT OF THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE.
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