TNAG-0937-FCO40-1156-Visits-of-Sir-Murray-MacLehose--Governor-of-Hong-Kong--to-th-1980 — Page 218

MR BLAKER'S MEETING WITH SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE:

11.30 AM, FRIDAY, 11 JANUARY

BRIEF NO 4:

PARLIAMENTARY INTEREST IN HONG KONG AND CONNEC TI ONS

BETWEEN HONG KONG PRESSURE GROUPS AND MPS

•

1 In recent years, Hong Kong has engendered more Parliamentary

Questions than almost any other FCO topic. However, the great

majority of these questions, most of which are critical of the Hong

Kong Government, have been asked by a very small group of backbench

MPS, and they do not indicate very widespread hostility towards the

Hong Kong Government in Parliament.

2. The Hong Kong Government themselves have tried to foster an

informed interest in Hong Kong through a programme of sponsored visits,

under which some 28 MPs have visited the territory in the past 5 years

as guests of the Government. The invitation list for these visits

is drawn up in consultation with the Chairman of the Anglo-Hong Kong

Parliamentary Group.

3. These visits, however, are seen by critics of the Hong Kong

Government as a propaganda exercise. A number of pressure groups in

Hong Kong have therefore established a "Fund for Justice", to sponsor

visits by MPs independently of the Hong Kong Government. The first

3 such visits took place in September last year. The pressure groups

also maintain frequent contacts with MPs whom they know to be critical

of the Hong Kong Government. Many of the PQs referred to in paragraph 1

abot undoubtedly resulted from these contacts.

4. The Hong Kong Government are as helpful as possible to any MPs

who visit Hong Kong, in whatever capacity. The Governor and his

senior officials met and held discussions with the 3 MPs who visited

/Hong Kong