TNAG-1014-FCO40-1264-HM-Government-s-responsibility-for-internal-affairs-in-Hong--1981 — Page 55

PS/Mr Blaker

CONFIDENTIAL

MP'S LETTER: HONG KONG:

Problem

НКК аты

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 12 FEB 1981

DEAK OFFICER INDEX

PA

REGISTRY

Action Taken

STANDING COMMITTEE ON PRESSU

NOT

M9:21

ESSURE

GROUPS

100

1. Mr Dennis Canavan MP (Stirlingshire W Labour) wrote to Mr Blaker

A on 26 January concerning the supplementary Question he asked in the

B

House of Commons on 21 January.

HICK 300/16

C

WP.

Recommendation

2. I recommend that Mr Blaker reply on the lines of the attached draft

letter.

Background and Argument

3.

Mr Canavan's Question and letter refer to the activities of the

Hong Kong Government's Standing Committee on Pressure Groups (SCOPG).

Interest in SCOPG has been aroused in Hong Kong because a copy of one

of its reports was leaked to the press:- this is attached to Mr Canavan's

letter. An article in the 'New Statesman of 11 December 1980

represented it as part of a Government conspiracy to inhibit free

expression.

4. SCOPG is an interdepartmental Committee set up three years ago to

keep in touch with the views of a wide range of people in the community

and, in particular, groups who have points to make about the Hong Kong

Government's policies. Its job is to ensure that the views of these

people are fully and properly understood.

5. The Committee does not attempt to infiltrate pressure groups as

Mr Canavan suggests. That such a Committee exists is not surprising

in a territory which puts a lot of effort into ascertaining what

public opinion is, positively countering criticism and, where possible,

acting on suggestions from the public. Nonetheless, the Committee's

deliberations are classified.

The Security and Special Branches are

CONFIDENTIAL

/represented