CONFIDENTIAL
EG 2/20
Private Secretary
Letter of 2 March from Mr. Wells. M.P.
Hong Kong Copyright Legislation
For at least six months the Hong Kong Government
In February the Hong Kong
has had under active consideration the enactment of a
new Copyright Ordinance.
Government sent us the draft of this for consideration
and advice. The draft depends on the assumption that
meanwhile the United Kingdom Copyright Act of 1956,
appropriately modified, will have been applied by
Order in Council to Hong Kong. A draft Order in
Council and the proposed modifications were also
referred to us in February. It will be for the
President of the Board of Trade to pilot the Order
in Council.
2. The Hong Kong Government have, throughout the
formative stage of this legislation, kept Rediffusion
(Hong Kong) closely informed regarding their
intentions, and also Television Broadcasts (Hong
Kong), a new commercial T.V. service. Rediffusion
(Hong Kong) have argued throughout that the proposed
legislation is, in certain of its aspects, inimical
to their interests and, in particular, is inconsistent
with a licence which they hold, granting an exclusive
right to establish a wired television service.
Representations to this effect have been made both in
Hong Kong and London.
3. The Board of Trade Solicitors and the
Commonwealth Office Legal Advisers are now studying
the Hong Kong drafts, which raise complicated legal
issues. It is not possible to assess what they will
advise, but it is probable that in at least one
respect they will advise a reference back to the
Hong Kong Government, suggesting amendment which
would resolve what is probably the company's main
concern.
CONFIDENTIAL
14.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.