TNAG-0190-FCO40-226-Title--Royal--conferred-on-Hong-Kong-police-and-auxiliary-po-1969 — Page 54

24

Registry

مینا

7/4

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

London S.W.1

31 March, 1969

११

le. 6.0. 14/4

I last wrote to you about the Hong Kong Police Force on 24 February. We have obtained the necessary formal approval from Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace and the way is now clear for arrangements to be made for a Question to be put down by Commander Maydon in accordance with the Prime Minister's decision mentioned in paragraph 2 of your letter of 17 February.

I am accordingly enclosing:-

(a)

the drafts of an arranged Question and

Supplementary Question, together with suggested Answers;

(b) Notes for Supplementary Questions;

(c) a Background Note.

The drafts at (a) above have been cleared with the Governor of Hong Kong.

The proposed Answer is somewhat longer than is usual. The arranged Supplementary Question is therefore drafted to introduce a note of congratulation in an otherwise bald narrative. But the Answer to the arranged Supplementary Question would be better taken at the end of the main Answer if you do not think this makes it too long.

I draw your attention to the lamentable Granada Television programme referred to in paragraph 4(c) of the Background Note and to Hong Kong telegrams Nos. 233 and 252 (copies attached). We have naturally felt some concern that, as a result of this programme, H.M. The Queen's decision to confer this distinction might publicly be called in question. The programme was however so obviously biased

P. L. Gregson, Esa.

10 Downing Street.

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