TNAG-1154-FCO40-1434-Visits-by-Members-of-Parliament-(MPs)-to-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 57

Mr. Mcque

+.

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2

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(3.8.82)

2917

NOTE FOR EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

XCRI(82) 29- Copy-No. нки

28 1995

VISITS BY MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT 1982-83

HKK 026/2

Introduction

Amyld

:

On 28 April 1981, Members considered "Information Note XCCI(81) 16 on visits by Members of Parliament in 1981/82. The proposals in the Note, formulated on the basis of advice from Sir Paul Bryan, Chairman of the Anglo-Hong Kong Parlia- mentary Group, were a departure from past practice in that there were to be fewer full sponsored visits but, correspond- ingly, more advantage was to be taken of other private visits by MPs to Hong Kong. In passing, the Governor took the view that "consideration would always be given to sponsoring a member of any category of persons whose possible visit to Hong Kong was commended by Sir Paul Bryan or by the Hong Kong Commissioner in London as being potentially beneficial to the territory". The purpose of this Note is to seek Members' views on the proposed pattern of full sponsored and other visits in 1982 and 1983.

•

Visits during 1981/82

2

visits, viz -

In 1981/82, there were only two full sponsored

Rt. Hon. George Thomas,

Speaker

Rt. Hon. Michael Jopling,

Conservative Chief Whip

(September 2-7)

(January 2-8)

Open invitations were extended to the Rt. Hon. Roy Hattersley and the Rt. Hon. John Smith (Opposition Spokesmen on Home Affairs and Trade respectively), but neither has taken them up so far.

3

In the calendar year 1981, Hong Kong was visited by a total of seven Ministers and over 40 MPs; a further ten MPs visited Hong Kong during the first three months of 1982. Partial Government programmes were arranged for many of these visitors. In the same context, Mr Kenyon and Professor Williams of the Overseas Students Trust were here in March of this year at the Government's invitation. There are currently no plans for visits to Hong Kong of other influential but non-Parliamentary people of this nature, but the opportunity for such visits is borne in mind by the Commissioner.

G.S. 84

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