TNAG-1155-FCO40-1435-Visits-by-Members-of-Parliament-(MPs)-to-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 133

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Miss Malas pl.

Lord Belstead

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HICCA) for draft reply 18/11

Ps/Cl Bilstand

Mr Donald

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SECURITY

Alexander Fleming House, Elephant & Castle, London SE1 6BY Telephone 01-407 5522

From the Minister of State for Social Security and the Disabled

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Minister of State

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Foreign and Commonwealth Office

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Whitehall

London SW1

17 November 1982

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Dear John.

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As you may know, I visited Hong Kong from 4 to 8 November. I thought I should let you have a brief note of my visit.

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I went at the invitation of Dr Harry Fang, Chairman of Rehabilitation International, to officiate at the Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled which were, I believe, a great success. The Hong Kong Government and Dr Fang also arranged a series of visits to rehabilitation centres, a sheltered workshop and a special school for disabled and mentally handicapped people. stayed at Government House and was grateful to Sir Edward Youde for his hospitality and for the help which he and his staff gave in preparing for, and during, the visit.

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Whilst I was there I met a number of prominent Hong Kong residents, both inside and outside Government. I gained the impression that notwithstanding comments made by the Opposition here during the Queen's Speech debate the Prime Minister's recent visit was not seen in a critical light in Hong Kong. Her statements were seen as realistic rather than inflammatory. The point was also made to me that although people like to pin all their problems on one cause in Hong Kong's case, on uncertainty about the expiry of the New Territories lease in 1997 this is not altogether reasonable. If Hong Kong has some economic problems at the moment, they cannot all be attributed to the 1997 issue, let alone to the Prime Minister's comments on it.

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There was criticism however of the British Nationality Act insofar as it affects the people of Hong Kong. I am writing separately to Timothy Raison about this and I attach a copy of my letter.

Lage

HUGH ROSSI