2
FRIDAY, JULY 22, 1994
TRANSCRIPT OF THE GOVERNOR'S MEDIA SESSION
THE
BY THE FOLLOWING IS THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEDIA SESSION GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, AT THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES LOBBY BEFORE HIS DEPARTURE FOR THE UNITED (FRIDAY):
GOVERNOR:
KINGDOM
TODAY
FEW
DURING FORE IGN FOREIGN
GOOD MORNING. I THOUGHT IT WOULD HELP YOU IF I SAID A WORDS NOW RATHER THAN DRAGGED YOU OUT TO THE AIRPORT THIS EVENING. THREE OR I'M,
AS I THINK YOU KNOW, GOING TO LONDON THIS EVENING FOR
THE FOUR DAYS OF MEETINGS NEXT WEEK BEFORE THEN GOING ON LEAVE UNTIL END OF AUGUST. I'VE GOT A NUMBER OF MEETINGS PLANNED IN LONDON, BEGINNING ON MONDAY WITH MEETINGS WITH THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, FOREIGN OFFICE OFFICIALS AND THE PRIME MINISTER. I'LL ALSO BE MEETING THE WEEK, AMONG OTHERS, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS' AFFAIRS SELECT COMMITTEE, DAVID HOWELL, THE LABOUR PARTY'S AFFAIRS SPOKESMAN, JACK CUNNINGHAM, THE LEADER OF THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY, PADDY ASHDOWN. I AM HAVING A LUNCH FOR HONG KONG WHO ARE WORKING IN LONDON AND THE UNITED KINGDOM AND I'VE GOT A NUMBER OF OTHER MEETINGS, FOR EXAMPLE, ONE WITH ACADEMIC SPECIALISTS ON CHINA AND HONG KONG. SO, IT'S A FAIRLY FULL PROGRAMME. I'LL TRY TO FIND OPPORTUNITIES ON MONDAY, TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY FOR TALKING TO ANY MEMBERS OF THE HONG KONG PRESS WHO ARE IN LONDON NEXT WEEK AND I'LL BE HAVING A ROUND-UP SESSION FOR REPRESENTATIVES OF THE HONG KONG MEDIA ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. SO, THAT'S GOING TO BE A PRETTY FULL PROGRAMME AND, OF COURSE, WHILE I AM AWAY, THE CHIEF SECRETARY WILL BE ACTING GOVERNOR AND I HOPE THE WEATHER WILL BE BETTER IN AUGUST THAN THIS.
THE
AGE
ONE OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO SAY, CLEARLY, WHILE I AM AWAY, DEBATE THAT HAS BEGUN ON TAKING SOME OF THE WORRY OUT OF THE OLD THROUGH INTRODUCING A DECENT, COMPREHENSIVE PENSION SCHEME WILL CONTINUE. I AM PLEASED WITH THE PUBLIC REACTIONS SO FAR TO WHAT WE'VE PROPOSED. THERE'VE BEEN THREE OPINION POLLS SO FAR ON OUR PROPOSALS IN THE ECONOMIC TIMES AND MING PAO AND THE NEXT MAGAZINE. AND ALL OF THOSE WHO'VE GIVEN, I THINK ONE WOULD SAY, RINGING ENDORSEMENTS TO OUR PROPOSALS. BUT THERE ARE SERIOUS QUESTIONS WHICH'RE COMING UP AND WE WILL BE ADDRESSING THEM AND PROVIDING ANSWERS AS THOROUGHLY AS POSSIBLE OVER THE COMING WEEKS BECAUSE WE DO WANT TO ENSURE THAT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY IS INVOLVED IN THE DEBATE AND THAT WHEN WE MAKE A FINAL DECISION, WE'VE GOT AS BROAD A CONSENSUS IN THE COMMUNITY AS POSSIBLE.
THERE IS