TNAG-0334-FCO40-370-Visits-of-Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Commonwealth-Af-1972 — Page 196

Reference..

CONFIDENTIAL

Mr Clewley (Hong Kong Dept.)

BRIEF FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE

Your minute of 26 January.

have

2. I made a number of manuscript amendments to paragraph 2 of the brief of a mainly presentational nature aimed at making it more positive and forthcoming.

3.

My main point however relates to paragraph 5. I would have thought in my innocence that the visit of the Secretary of State to Hong Kong might have provided the ideal occasion on which to announce the provision of £400 thousand for the establishment of these technical colleges. That the fact that the offer has not been made to the UK Parliament is quite irrelevant as it is not normal practice to tell Parliament in detail about the way in which aid monies are being disbursed around the world. There may however be complications that I am not aware of and it is obviously for you to decide in consultation with ODA whether you think it appropriate for the Secretary of State to make this announcement or not. If he could make it, it would clearly smooth his passage for mig over the question of aid to Hong Kong in June

27 January 1972

@qenial.

лесси.

Will. kullimien

CA K Cullimore

Financial Policy and Aid Dept.

CONFIDENTIAL