TNAG-0106-FCO40-142-Proposals-to-appoint-an-Ombudsman-1969 — Page 147

OFFICE OF THE

PARLIAMENTARY COMMISSIONER

Church House, Great Smith Street

LONDON S.W.I

Telephone: 01-799 6551, ext. 384.

26th March, 1969.

19

RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No.31

2 7 MAR 1969

Our reference: A.13/16/67. Your reference: HKK 1/8.

Dan Gammara

18

Thank you for your letter of 14th March about the possible appointment of a Commissioner for Administration in Hong Kong.

HKK 1/8

I note that the draft Bill follows the New Zealand model rather than the British model, and I do not dissent from this idea. The only point of detail which I might mention is that the time-bar provision contained in Sections 13(a) and 1(2) seems to be absolute, and to permit the Commissioner no discretion to waive it. The British Act allows the P.C.A. discretion to waive the time-bar, and we certainly find this useful.

Denys Roberts called on me last year, and I shall be very glad to see him again when he is next in England. The question of a call on the P.C.A. should, I suggest, be settled nearer to the time when we know about leave arrangements, etc. I should be very glad also to see Primrose and to discuss the work of this Office with him as fully as he wishes. But I am afraid the P.C.A. has had to make a rule that he cannot have anyone "attached" to the Office, if by attachment you mean that he should see actual cases and files. The reason for this is that the Parliamentary Commissioner is bound by Section 11(2) of our Act not to disclose information, in the same way as is proposed by Section 20(2) of the Hong Kong draft.

Yours simecialy

by bes

Eduni

(E.L. Sykes)

A.W. Gaminara, Esq., C.M.G., Hong Kong Department,

Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Downing Street,

London, S.W.1.

K.271

Kizzy R+R.

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