13.
If, on the other hand, Hong Kong isn't to have the same freedoms as it has got
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today a point which many people have inferred from what, for example, Vice Premier Qian Qichen has said then we are entitled to know in what way those liberties are going to be curtailed and how that is consistent with the Joint Declaration, with the Basic Law and of course with the International Covenants which are applied to Hong Kong? I think that is the central question which has to be addressed and I hope it will be clearer as a result of today's speech.
Mr Howard Young: You mentioned just now the subject of ethnic minorities and you said that the Labour Party and the Liberal Party would support legislation to grant them full British nationality, and they may or may not command the majority in parliament, it depends who turns up to vote or who is away at the time. But the Governing Party has not said that they will initiate legislation and the Labour Party merely said that they would support legislation, so if no one initiates it there is nothing to support. Can you tell us whether you are aware, is there any sentiment within the ruling party in UK now to initiate the legislation so that it can be supported? Or on the other hand, is it a topic that is possible to be dealt with by Private Members' Bills from the Opposition?
Governor: At the moment it is being dealt with by a Private Member's Bill which was started in the House of Lords - and I think has been introduced by a Conservative Peer in the House of Lords. The Bill is proceeding through the House of Lords and I think I am right in saying that a Conservative Member of Parliament is minded to introduce the Bill in the House of Commons; a Conservative Member of Parliament, Sir Patrick Cormack who was here a few months ago and was totally convinced by the arguments he heard from a number of honourable members about the ethnic minorities.
I have to say that I detect in the House of Lords, in the House of Commons, very little opposition among ordinary back-bench members to the proposal that the ethnic minorities should get a fair and honourable deal. I am pleased that the Labour Party has officially changed its position. It would be a curious paradox if I was to prove more successful in convincing Labour politicians of these matters than those who belong to other parties. But the Labour Party has, I think, changed its position officially and I don't think that there is any sleight of hand on the part of Labour politicians. I think when they say they would support legislation the implication is that if they were in government they would propose legislation as well. They have moved from a position in which they supported right of abode for the ethnic minorities, which was a substantial step forward, to a position in which they support outright legislation on nationality.
I hope that in the weeks and months which remain to me, I will be able to convince the Conservative leadership of the importance of moving beyond the position which Mr Major staked-out in a welcome statement last March.