Registry No.
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
Top Secret.
Secret.
Confidential.
SECRET
DRAFT
LETTER
To:-
HE Sir Murray MacLehose KCMG KOVO MBE
Type 1 +
FROM
Sir D Watson
Telephone No. Ext.
Restricted.
Unclassified.
PRIVACY MARKING
In Confidence
HONG KONG
Department
HONG KONG: REPRESENTATIONS BY THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 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 your copy of the record of the meeting on 23 April that the NEC raised four questions:
elections to the Legislative Council;
progress towards the implementation of ILO Conventions in Hong Kong;
(a) (b)
(c)
the situation of the trade unions and labour relations generally;
and
(a)
the possibility of simplifying the Hong Kong Trade Union Ordinance and
subsidiary legislation.
7448 D073840.200M 8/74 Cr.P.C. 839/3
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
3.
The Secretary of State accepted that the introduction of the MACS and the limited electoral system introduced for the Urban Council represented a reasonable 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's point that, while some further progress along these lines may be possible (e.g. by granting further limited powers to the Urban Council), the difficulties
/of moving
SECRET
F
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.