TNAG-0721-FCO40-919-Capital-punishment-in-the-Dependent-Territories-1978 — Page 102

CONFIDENTIAL

DIE

وت ce

for ops dan

162

10 DOWNING STREET

HUGW

From the Private Secretary

f

PS.

20 February,

1978.

Ps/Lord Goroney-Rüberts Ps/pus

mi Contazze

in. Stratton

Legal Advisers

Capital Punishment in the Dependent

Overseas Territories

The Prime Minister has seen the Lord President's minute (of 17 February about capital punishment in the dependent

overseas territories.

The Prime Minister would like Cabinet to consider this matter, and has asked that the Lord President should put a paper to Cabinet for this purpose.

It may be helpful to the Lord President to know that the Prime Minister commented on his minute that in his view the present procedure protects the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary. He would, for instance, face difficulties in handling a case (assuming the resolution was passed by the House) in which he believed that a Hong Kong murderer should be reprieved, but all local opinion was opposed to him.

I am sending copies of this letter to the Private Secretaries of other members of GEN 103 and to Martin Vile (Cabinet Office).

нка 3801

RECEIVED ******* NO. 51

23 FEB 1978

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

No

PA

N.

REGISTRY Action Taken

ве

NL WICKS

P. WOOD

John Stevens, Esq.,

}

Lord President's Office.

CONFIDENTIAL