TNAG-0525-FCO40-620-Visit-of-UK-Members-of-Parliament-(Defence-and-External-Affa-1975 — Page 283

GPS 190A

FRIORITY

CYPHER/CAT A

CONFIDENTIAL

RECEIVED

REGISTR No.52!

17 APR 1975

FM FCO 151640Z

31.

(HK)

CONFIDENTIAL

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG TELNO. 284 OF 15 APRIL 1975

PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM O'KEEFFE.

R

i

Ref.

1. THE DEFENCE AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE EXPENDITURE

COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS WOULD LIKE TO VISIT HONG KONG

FOR UP TO FOUR DAYS STARTING ON MONDAY 17 NOVEMBER. WE DO NOT

AT PRESENT HAVE ANY VERY CLEAR IDEAS ON WHAT THEY WILL WISH TO

EXAMINE BUT WE UNDERSTAND THAT IN THE NORMAL COURSE THEY ARE

USUALLY CONTENT TO SEE THE SERVICES AT FIRST-HAND AND TO TAKE AN

INTEREST IN PURELY LOCAL PROBLEMS. THEY MAY, OF COURSE, TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENQUIRE INTO BASIC QUESTIONS OF POLICY: THIS WOULD

BE MORE LIKELY TO HAPPEN IN CONNECTION WITH ISSUES WHICH HAVE COME

TO PUBLIC NOTICE DURING THE YEAR. IF THEY WISH, THEIR PROCEDURES

ALLOW THEM TO TAKE FORMAL EVIDENCE FROM WITNESSES.

2. WE HAVE DISCUSSED WITH THE MOD WHO TELL US THAT THEIR MINISTERS.

NATURALLY WISH TO MEET THE SUB-COMMITTEE'S WISHES TO THE MAXIMUM

EXTENT, ALTHOUGH WE ARE NOT OBLIGED TO ACCEPT THEIR PROPOSALS

IF THERE ARE STRONG REASONS FOR NOT DOING SO.

3. MOD HAVE SIGNALLED CBF ABOUT THIS AND SUGGESTED THAT HE MIGHT

LIKE TO CONSULT YOU ABOUT. IT.

CALLAGHAN

FILES:

HKIOD (4)

DEF D

SIR D. WATSON MR. MALE

CONFIDENTIAL