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Standing Committee on Pressure Groups disbanded in 1982
Following is a question by the Hon Anna Wu Hung-yuk and a written reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Peter Lai, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Question:
Regarding the establishment and subsequent activities of the Standing Committee on Pressure Groups (SCOPG) during the 1970's and early 1980's, will the Government inform this Council:
Reply:
(a)
(b)
(c)
Mr President,
(a)
(b)
of the date when the SCOPG was established, what its terms of reference were, how many times it was convened, an what its membership was;
which parties SCOPG had singled out for monitoring, and how these parties were selected for surveillance; and
whether there were any reports on the activities of the parties under surveillance by the SCOPG; if so, where such reports were kept; and whether the parties concerned will be granted access to such reports?
The Standing Committee on Pressure Groups (SCOPG) was established in 1977 under the chairmanship of the then Home Affairs and Information Services Branch to report to and advise the Government on social and political trends and developments in Hong Kong. It was disbanded in 1982. During its establishment the committee met twice yearly. Its membership comprised representatives from Home Affairs and Information Services Branch, Home Affairs Department, Government Information Services and the Police.
The committee had no executive or operational functions; its role was advisory. It would have made assessments on groups which had a bearing on social and political trends and developments in Hong Kong. I am not aware that it 'singled out' any particular group for surveillance.
(c) All SCOPG files containing assessments and reports have been
destroyed.
End/Wednesday, February 15, 1995