TNAG-1296-FCO40-1651-Visits-by-members-of-the-Office-of-the-Unofficial-Members-of-1984 — Page 33

GPS 400

RESTRICTED

DESKBY 1003DOZ

RESTRICTED

FM HONG KONG 10034OZ DEC 84

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 3746 OF 010 DECEMBER

197

YOUR TELNO 2451

AL.

TOP COPY

HKK 026/11

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION : UMELCO VISIT

QUESTION (A). SOME MEMBERS OF THE UMELCO DELEGATION ALSO INTEND TO ATTEND THE DEBATE ON THE DRAFT AGREEMENT IN THE HOUSE OF

LORDS ON 10 DECEMBER. YOU MAY WISH TO ADD A SUITABLE REFERENCE

TO THIS AT THE END OF YOUR PROPOSED REPLY.

•

2. QUESTION (B) THE ESTIMATED COST OF THE RECENT VISIT OF UMELCO MEMBERS TO LONDON IS APPROX. DOLLARS 500,000 (APPROX. POUNDS 52,600). THIS WILL BE MET BY THE HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FROM THE

PUBLIC FUNDS APPROPRIATED EACH YEAR FOR THE EXPENSES OF THE UMELCO OFFICE.

3. FOR BACKGROUND, THE BREAKDOWN OF THE ESTIMATED COST IS

AS FOLLOWS

(A) AIR FARES DOLLARS 189,000

(B) HOTELS DOLLARS 106,000

(C) SUBSISTENCE - DOLLARS 45,000

(D) TRAVEL EXPENSES IN BRITAIN

DOLLARS 76,000

(E) OTHER EXPENSES (1.E. ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS, HIRE OF SECRETARIES,

RECEPTION, ETC) - DOLLARS 84,000

4. UNOFFICIALS ARE NOT OF COURSE, PAID. THEY MAY CLAIM UP TO HKD 8,700 PER MONTH FOR EXPENSES INCURRED ON UMELCO BUSINESS. THE

COST OF THE VISIT OF THE DELEGATION TO LONDON IS A PERFECTLY

LEGITIMATE CHARGE TO THE RELEVANT EXPENDITURE HEAD (SEE HEAD

112, SUB-HEAD 113 AND THE GENERAL MEMORANDUM NOTE ON PAGE 6

OF THE 1985/86 ESTIMATES)

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