TNAG-0190-FCO40-226-Title--Royal--conferred-on-Hong-Kong-police-and-auxiliary-po-1969 — Page 25

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Mr. Carter

The arrival of Hong Kong telegram no. 297 calls for early consideration in connexion with the arranged Parliamentary Question to be asked by Lieutenant Commander Maydon in connexion with the accord of the title "Royal" to the Hong Kong Police and Auxiliary Police Forces. The Prime Minister has written to Commander Maydon suggesting that he puts the Arranged Question down for reply on the 17th April (the day after tomorrow) so that we have very little time in which to act.

2.

My own view is that by far the best method of dealing with the vexed question of the Granada television film would be by way of an arranged Supplementary Question and Answer, provided of course that the Prime Minister were prepared to approve such a course. I do not think that a letter to the "Times" from the Governor would serve any useful purpose at this late stage. And as the Governor points out, a letter to Lord Aylestone might have some effect on future Granada programmes of this nature (although I very much doubt this), but it will not serve to deal with the present problem.

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3.

I accordingly attach a draft letter for Mr. Brighty to send to Mr. Gregson in the Prime Minister's Office, together with a draft arranged Supplementary Question and Answer to take the place of the one which was forwarded to Mr. Gregson under 39) cover of Mr. Brighty's letter of 31st March. Since there is no mention, in the Prime Minister's letter of 11th April to Commander Maydon, of an arranged Supplementary Question, I think we can safely assume that the suggestion made in the last sentence of paragraph 3 of Mr. Brighty's letter to Mr. Gregson of 31st March, is being acted upon. The draft arranged Supplementary Question now attached has been drafted on this assumption. & has been cleared with

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4.

We have to tell the Governor:

(1) when the Prime Minister is to make his announcement; this is to enable the Governor to arrange for a simultaneous announcement to be made in Hong Kong. I have an arrangement with the Parliamentary Office whereby they will telephone me the moment that they receive notification that Commander Maydon has put down his Question. We can then telegraph the Governor giving him the text of the Question and of the reply, together with the date that the Question is to be taken.

(2) What steps we are proposing to take to deal with the problem of the Granada Television film. I do not think that we can do anything about this until we learn the outcome of the action now proposed.

It would be best if (1) and (2) could be dealt with together, but this is not essential.

I have warned Mr. Brighty that he may expect to hear further from us on this subject today.

5.

ANG.

(A. W. Gaminara) Hong Kong Department

15 April, 1969