TNAG-0260-FCO40-296-Legislation-for-prevention-of-bribery-in-Hong-Kong-1970 — Page 152

CONFIDENTIAL

A

B

4.

In accordance with the advice of Executive Council, the Bill

was published in July, 1969, for general information and comment prior to further consideration by the Executive Council in the light

of public comment prior to its introduction into the Legislative

Council.

5. The Governor at the same time asked for his Attorney-General

to be given the opportunity to discuss the Bill with the Secretary

of State's advisers in London. The first of these discussions

took place on 8 September, 1969. A revised Bill was submitted to the Executive Council on 18 November, 1969, together with a

survey of public opinion received through City District Officers,

a summary of comments in the Chinese and European press and a summary

of comments received from various interested parties including the

FCO Advisers, as reported by the Attorney-General, Hong Kong.

The comments, so far as they were considered valid, were included

in the new draft Bill.

6.

The bodies whose comments were summarised in the Memorandum to the Executive Council were (apart from the FCO) :-

7.

The Exchange Banks Association

The Hong Kong Bar Association

The Hong Kong Law Society

Members of the Judiciary

The Hong Kong/Chinese Civil Servants Association

The Association of European Civil Servants

The Senior Non-Expatriate Officers Association

The District Commissioner, New Territories.

The Executive Council advised that the revised Bill be

introduced into the Legislative Council. This was followed by :-

(i) Talks between the Department and the Governor in

(ii)

December, 1969.

Further correspondence with the Attorney-General, Hong Kong,

in December, 1969, and January-March, 1970, in which the

Hong Kong authorities were warned that certain features

of the Bill would require submission to Ministers.

CONFIDENT IAL

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