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Legislative Council
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5.
Hill Members next June. николь
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HIRK.
The Governor might be asked about his plans for widening the social basis of representation on the Legislative Council. He is in fact considering increasing the Council by three or four
The Secretary of State might say that while he understands the need for high calibre Members, it would carry more weight politically here if the Governor's choice of new Members could include representatives of the lower income groups.
Capital Punishment
6.
As part of the Hong Kong Government's campaign to contain the pressure for the retention of capital punishment, the Governor has had to promise that he would raise this matter again with the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State might confirm that he sees no chance of carrying the House of Commons with him in a decision to allow the death penalty to be carried out in Hong Kong, even where there are no extenuating circumstances at all. This is constitutionally most unsatisfactory. Nonetheless the Governor is to be congratulated on his recent decision to announce that imprisonment for life will in future be the normal punishment when
the death sentence is commuted. This has done much to draw the
sting from the campaign for retention of the death penalty although, of course, it can break out again at any time.
ILO Conventions
7.
The Governor will be able to report some progress in the adherence of Hong Kong to the Conventions of the ILO with more in
the pipeline. The Secretary of State might congratulate the Governor on this and say that he hopes the annual review to be carried out by Lord Goronwy-Roberts will assist the process. Increasing conformity to ILO standards is important for Hong Kong's reputation in her principal markets, including the United Kingdom.
Labour Relations
8.
The Secretary of State might express appreciation of the Hong Kong Government's acceptance of the idea of a low profile research project into labour relations in the Colony. The trade union movement here found it difficult to understand why trade unions did
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