XN000022-1991-07-05 — Page 2

FRIDAY, JULY 5, 1991

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GOVT TO GO TO FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR AIRPORT PROJECT FUNDS

THE GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, HOPEFULLY WITHIN TWO WEEKS, TO SEEK FUNDS FOR THE LANTAU FIXED CROSSING AND THE AIRPORT PLATFORM, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID FORD, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

SPEAKING ΤΟ REPORTERS AFTER AN AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING, SIR DAVID SAID THE GOVERNMENT HOPED THAT THE TENDER FOR THE LANTAU FIXED CROSSING WOULD BE ISSUED ABOUT THE END OF THIS MONTH.

THE COMMITTEE HAS BEEN HOLDING MEETINGS WEEKLY SINCE THE

AIRPORT PROJECT BEGAN.

"WE HAD ANOTHER USEFUL MEETING AND WE WILL BE CONTINUING WITH ALL THE PREPARATORY WORK TO GET AHEAD WITH THE AIRPORT IN GOOD TIME,' HE SAID.

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ON THE AIRPORT CORE PROGRAMME PROJECTS, THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID: "WE'RE ALWAYS REFINING THE PROGRAMME BOTH IN TERMS OF TIME, SCOPE AND COST. AND WE DID SOME MORE OF THAT TODAY.

"WE WILL REPORT THE LATEST STAGE AND LATEST VIEW ON THAT WHEN WE GO TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS' TIME."

FS DESIGNATE CALLS ON UK OFFICIALS

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY (DESIGNATE), MR HAMISH MACLEOD, WHO IS SPENDING THE FIRST WEEK OF JULY IN LONDON, HAS CALLED ON OFFICIALS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM TREASURY INCLUDING THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER, MR NORMAN LAMONT, AND THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY, MR FRANCIS MAUDE.

MR MACLEOD IS ON THE SECOND LEG OF HIS EUROPEAN TRIP AFTER THE VIENNA CONFERENCE. HIS PROGRAMME ALSO INCLUDES MEETINGS WITH THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS, LORD CAITHNESS, AND OFFICIALS OF THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE,

HE WILL ALSO MEET LEADING MEMBERS OF THE BANKING AND BUSINESS

COMMUNITY.

His

MR MACLEOD'S DUTY VISIT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM ENDS WITH A TWO-DAY PROGRAMME ORGANISED BY THE BANK OF ENGLAND. HE WILL START POUR-WEEK VACATION LEAVE NEXT WEEK.

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