TOP SECRET
Wilford
Mr W:
Sir L Monson
DORMANT COMMISSION
7
A Bell
7/10
1. A reply is required to the attached letter from Sir D
Trench about the Dormant Commission.
2. The position is that Sir Murray MacLehose has now seen
the papers relating to the Commission and shares the view
that the Commission no longer serves a useful purpose and
should be revoked.
3. We are about to begin the process of obtaining formal
approval of the revocation. This will involve obtaining the
agreement of the Ministry of Defence and thereafter a submission
to Ministers followed by the submission of advice to The Queen
that the Commission be terminated. I suggest that the
necessary clearance from the Ministry of Defence might best be obtained by a letter to Mr Nairne (Deputy Under Secretary
(Policy)) enclosing a draft of our submission to Ministers.
If you agree a draft submission and letter will be prepared
for this purpose.
4.
It
Meanwhile, I attach a draft reply to the Governor.
may be some time before we complete the process of obtaining
revocation of the Commission but we do not expect to encounter
any opposition in the exercise.
4 October 1971
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Enaria
E O Laird
Hong Kong Department
Kun Wilfr Kunhilfe
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Private notes are available after approval.