CONFIDENTIAL
Royal Instructions of Hong Kong, and is considered in each case as it arises. Nevertheless it is constitutionally impossible for The Queen to empty Herself of Her Prerogative. It is therefore always open to any condemned man to petition Her for the use of Her residual Prerogative of Mercy. In considering any such petition, Her Majesty acts on the advice of the Foreign and Commonwealth
Secretary.
The constitutional responsibility of a Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary to advise Her
adurc Majesty on such petitions, and to defend his action in the House if called upon to do so, is inescapable. I am afraid therefore that any petition received in the future will also need to be considered, as
it arises, in the light of current UK Parliamentary
opinion.'
2.
If you agree, we shall seek the approval of the Palace to a reply on those lines.
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