TNAG-0326-FCO40-362-Appointments-to-membership-of-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Ko-1972 — Page 158

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Mr Wilford

Parliamentary Office

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS

1.

Mr Lamond gave notice this morning of three Questions for.

written answer today. The Parliamentary Office have suggested

that if at all possible we should provide the answers for

inclusion in tomorrow's Hansard. This means that we should

aim at obtaining Mr Royle's approval by the close of play today.

The Parliamentary Office say that no background note is

required.

2.

The proposed reply to the Question about an ombudsman

is taken from Sir Murray MacLehose's brief for the Secretary

of State. This is attached.

3.

The proposed reply to the Question about constitutional

development has been used many times before. The text of

the reply given by Mr Whitlock on 2 July 1968 in response to

a Question from Mr Rankin is attached. This same point came

up during the debate in the House of Lords on the dependent

territories in January 1971. On that occasion Lord Lothian

referred to "the rather special circumstances of Hong Kong"

4. The proposed reply to the Question about increasing the

number of Unofficial Members of the Legislative Council ducks

the point of the Question. I suggest that we should deal with

the

this in/general terms proposed because Sir Murray MacLehose

has in fact submitted proposals for an increase in the number

of members of the Legislative Council (I am submitting

separately on this).

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