TNAG-0518-FCO40-613-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 58

Registry No.

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

Top Secret,

Secret.

Confidential.

DRAFT LETTER

To:-

HE Sir Murray MacLehose

KCMG KCVO MBE

Type 1 +

FROM

Sir D Watson

Telephone No. Ext.

Restricted. Unclassified.

PRIVACY MARKING

-Ia Confidence

Governor HONG KONG

HONG KONG:

Department

REPRESENTATIONS BY THE NATIONAL

EXECUTIVE OF THE LABOUR PARTY

1.

The Secretary of State held a departmental meeting on 21 July to consider the representations about Hong Kong made to him by the International Committee of the NEC on 23 April. Among those present were Lord Goronwy-Roberts, Mr Rowlands, Tom McNally, Laurence O'Keeffe, Bill Bentley and myself.

2.

You will have seen from the record of the meeting on 23 April sent to you that the NBC Painer four questions:

(a) elections to the Legislative Council; (b) progress towards the implementation of

ILO Conventions in Hong Kong:

(c) the situation of the trade unions and

labour relations generally; and

(a) the possibility of simplifying the long

Kong Trade Union Ordinance and subsidine; legislation.

3. The Secretary of State accepted that the introduction of the MACS and the Limited Electoral System introduced for the Urban Council represented a safe and cautious approach to constitutional development, bearing in mind the attitude of China and the deep divisions of political allegiance existing within the Colony. He also accepted Lord Goronwy-Roberts' point that. while some further progress along these lines may be possible (eg by granting further limited powers to the Limited Council), there was virtually no

/chance

7448 D073840 200M 8/74 Cr.P.C. 839/3

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