WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 1985
19
AMENDMENTS TO CLAUSE 14(2) DETAILED
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THE NEW CLAUSE 14(2) OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (POWERS AND PRIVILEGES) BILL HAD BEEN ARRIVED AT WITH CAREFUL DELIBERATION AND IT REPRESENTED A CONSCIOUS ATTEMPT TO PUT INTO PROPER CONTEXT HOW THE PHRASE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF HER MAJESTY GOVERNMENT TO HONG KONG+ MIGHT BE INTERPRETED, THE HON STEPHEN CHEONG SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
SPEAKING AT THE COMMITTEE STAGE OF THE BILL IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR CHEONG DETAILED THE AMENDED CLAUSE 14(2) AS FOLLOWS:
+NO PERSON, OTHER THAN A PUBLIC OFFICER ACTING WITH THE CONSENT OF THE GOVERNOR, SHALL BEFORE THE COUNCIL OR A COMMITTEE
(A) GIVE ANY EVIDENCE OR
(B) PRODUCE ANY PAPER, BOOK, RECORD OR
DOCUMENT,
-
RELATING TO THE CORRESPONDENCE CONCERNING
(1) ANY NAVAL, MILITARY OR AIR FORCE MATTER OR OF ANY OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE SECURITY OF HONG KONG: OR
(2) THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF HER,
MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM OTHERWISE THAN WITH RESPECT TO THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG BY ITS GOVERNMENT. NOR SHALL SECONDARY EVIDENCE BE RECEIVED BY OR PRODUCED BEFORE THE COUNCIL OR A COMMITTEE OF THE CONTENTS OF ANY SUCH PAPER. BOOK, RECORD OR DOCUMENT.+
+AS WE ARE NOW IN COMMITTEE AND STANDING ORDERS GOVERNING COMMITTEE STAGE PROCEEDINGS ARE RATHER RESTRICTIVE, WITH RESPECT TO THE CONTENTS OF MY SPEECH AND, IN ORDER TO DO JUSTICE TO THIS IMPORTANT CLAUSE, I WISH TO SEEK PERMISSION TO TACKLE THIS CLAUSE IN MORE DETAIL IN THE THIRD READING DEBATE, + MR CHEONG SAID.
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