TNAG-0403-FCO40-449-Review-of-the-death-sentence-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 69

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RECORD OF A MEETING BETWEEN THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY

OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS AND MR P C WOO

AT THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE ON FRIDAY 14 SEPTEMBER

AT 11.00 AM

Present:

Mr Anthony Royle, MP

Mr R B Crowson

Mr M RJ Guest

DEATH PENALTY

5.

Mr P C Woo

(Senior Unofficial Member of Legislative Council, Hong Kong)

Mr Woo said this was a very difficult problem. He knew

that Sir Y K Kan had discussed it with Mr Royle. Violent crime

in Hong Kong was increasing. Two policemen had recently been

killed, and it was believed that the murderers had killed them.

because they believed they would never be hanged. Mr Royle

pointed out that there had been no execution in Hong Kong since

Mr Woo 1966, even though there had been some very bad cases.

said that the previous Governor, Sir David Trench, had told him that they all had been reprieved because the labour Government

would not have permitted an execution. Mr Royle said he had not

heard of this, but would check up. However, it was not a party

political issue. There were abolitionists and retentionists in

both the Conservative and Labour parties. Mr Woo pointed out

that Hong Kong was different from Britain in this respect.

Mr Royle said he understood this. He recognised that the

majority of people in Hong Kong, wanted the Death Penalty retained

and that conditions in Hong Kong were different from the UK.

the Tsoi case had been a particularly difficult one in that it

had come up just at the time of the votes on the death penalty in

the House. Ho then explained the Parliamentary background.

Mr Woo said that the liong Kong Government had wanted Tsoi to be

But