TNAG-1166-FCO40-1446-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 56

ii

"How do you propose to damp down press speculation that the PM will go to Peking

to sign a deal on the future of Hong Kong?"

b) Interesting to note the heavy preponderance

of older Tories, both in terms of age and service

in the House. Of the 17 backbench Tories who

attended the meeting, 11 of them were over the

age of 60 and of the 143 new Tory MPs who came in at the last General Election in May 1979,

not one attended.