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10.

Finally we might consider whether any special

conditions should attach to service under the Crown,

by which public servants should be made answerable

for their acts in all British territories.

11. I hope you will agree that our officials should

meet together as soon as possible, perhaps with help

from the Law Officers, to examine these possibilities

with any others. In doing so it might be relevant to

consider for exemple, the situation in the Channel

Islands, where there is in many ways a closer consti-

tutional parallel with the dependent territories than

in the independent Commonwealth countries.fi Ideally

I believe that we should aim to get an Order in Council

before Parliament before the Prime Minister goes to

Hong Kong in January. If our officials can reach

agreement on this, so much the better. But if not

it may be that Ministers may have to consider the

whole problem in the general DOPC paper on Hong Kong

which we have promised to prepare in late November.

There is therefore a need for speed.

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