TNAG-1014-FCO40-1264-HM-Government-s-responsibility-for-internal-affairs-in-Hong--1981 — Page 11

CONFIDENTIAL

BACKGROUND NOTE

THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON PRESSURE GROUPS

1. In 1977 the Hong Kong Government set up an interdepartmental

Standing Committee on Pressure Groups to advise on the views of a wide

range of people in the community and, in particular, of groups who

have been critical of the Hong Kong Government's policies.

Its function

is to ensure that these views are fully understood and to advise on

how the Government should respond to them.

2.

The Committee's deliberations are classified as both the Security

and Special Branches are represented. They have an obvious and

legitimate interest in the possibility of penetration of these pressure

groups by subversive organisations.

3. In December 1980 a supposedly leaked SCOPG report provoked an

article in the 'New Statesman' (11 December 1980). This described

SCOPG as part of a conspiracy to inhibit free expression in Hong Kong.

There has been some Parliamentary interest in the Committee, fuelled

by the New Statesman's claim that SCOPG has infiltrated pressure groups.

The Hong Kong Government says that this claim is without foundation.

A number of MPs including Mr Parry, have received copies of the leaked

SCOPG report.

:

4. Only 3 MPs are mentioned in the SCOPG report. They are James

Johnson (Labour

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Kingston upon Hull, W), Robert Parry (Labour

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Liverpool, Scotland Exchange) and Ben Ford (Labour Bradford, N). The

references are factual and concern known links with Hong Kong pressure

groups.

Hong Kong and General Department

24 March 1981

CONFIDENTIAL