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Mr Stratton
Private Secretary
**
CONFIDENTIAL
♡ the Stephen
嗎
M
HKG 386/
208
TRY NO. 51
28 APR 1978
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
No
/PA
REGISTRY Action Take
@3/8
3/8 L
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN THE DEPENDENT OVERSEAS TERRITORIES
1. In her letter of 29 March the International Secretary of the Labour Party asked for further clarification of the Secretary of State's statement in his earlier letter to her of 16 February that "the Government are prepared to review the policy on capital punishment in Dependent Territories if that is Parliament's wish".
2. The Secretary of State's proposal that the policy should be reviewed in Parliament was considered in Cabinet on 23 February. Ministers then decided that the present political climate in the UK made this an inopportune time to introduce any changes in the present policy. It was felt that to raise the question of capital punishment in the Dependent Territories at this time could risk starting a public debate on the whole question of capital punishment. The Secretary of State therefore undertook to defend the present policy until the Government were in a position to deal with the matter once and for all. In his summing up of the discussion, the Prime Minister said "The danger of stimulating public debate of the domestic issue should be pointed out to those Labour MPs who have been pressing for a change in the present policy in the Dependent Overseas Territories". I have consulted Mr Stephen on whether a similarly frank reply should be sent to Miss Little. He has advised that the reply should be frank, but not too frank.
3. I recommend therefore that a reply should be sent on the lines
of the attached draft.
17 April 1978
W.E. Quamill
W E Quantrill
Hong Kong and General Department
Copy to: Private Secretary/Lord Goronwy Roberts
Private Secretary/Mr Rowlands
Private Secretary/PUS
Sir Antony Duff
Mr Cortazzi
Mr Stephen WIAD
CONFIDENTIAL
L.J. Shatten
17/+
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