TNAG-1308-FCO40-1665-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 37

WOULD HAVE TO GO TO PARLIAMENT FOR ENDORSEMENT. OTHER PARLIAMENTARY VISITORS HAVE RECALLED THAT PARLIAMENT CANNOT BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED. IN CONSIDERING THE AGREEMENT, PARLIAMENT WILL, AS MR LUCE

MADE CLEAR, WISH TO KNOW THE VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ON IT. IN CONSEQUENCE, THOSE VIEWS, EXPRESSED IN A VARIETY OF WAYS, INCLUDING THROUGH THIS COUNCIL, WILL BE AN IMPORTANT FACTOR FOR PARLIAMENT WHEN IT COMES TO ASSESS THE ARRANGEMENTS AS A WHOLE. IN THE LIGHT OF THIS, IT SEEMS INCONCEIVABLE THAT PARLIAMENT WILL NOT WISH TO KNOW, WHEN THE TIME COMES, WHAT VIEWS HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED IN THIS COUNCIL.

IT IS PERHAPS APPROPRIATE FOR ME AT THIS POINT IN THE DEBATE TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THE RECORD OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND ITS PLACE IN THE GOVERANCE OF HONG KONG. THIS COUNCIL'S DELIBERATIONS HAVE PROVIDE D

HONG KONG WITH A BODY OF LAWS FOR THE GOOD GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG AND THOSE DELIBERATIONS HAVE MADE A VITAL CONTRIBUTION, OVER THE YEARS, TO THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY WHICH THOSE WHO LIVE HERE ENJOY TODAY. THROUGH DEBATES, QUESTIONS AND MOTIONS, MEMBERS HAVE REFLECTED AND ARTICULATED THE CONCERNS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ON MANY ISSUES, ON MANY OCCASIONS.

MEMBERS HAVE TODAY SPOKEN ON THE ISSUE OF THE FUTURE. THEY HAVE SHOWN, ONCE AGAIN, THAT THEY SPEAK CAREFULLY AND RESPONSIBLY. THEY HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT THEIR AIM IS TO MAKE A CONSTRUCTIVE CONTRIBUTION TO THE ACHIEVEMENT OF AN OBJECTIVE WHICH IS SHARED BY ALL, THAT IS TO SAY, ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE FUTURE WHICH WILL SATISFY BRITAIN AND CHINA AND WILL, AT THE SAME TIME, CARRY CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG. MEMBERS HAVE SPOKEN WITH A DEEP SENSE OF COMMITMENT TO THE WELL-BEING OF HONG KONG. I CANNOT BELIEVE, THEREFORE, THAT THE DEBATE FOR WHICH THIS MOTION CALLW WILL, WHEN IT TAKES PLACE, DO MTHER THAN HELP, AND CERTAINLY IT IWLL NOT HINDER, THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THAT OBJECTIVE.

FOR ALL THESE REASONS, SIR, OFFICIAL MEMBERS WILL VOTE IN FAVOUR OF THIS MOTION.

YOUDE

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

COPIES TO:

BUCKINGHAM PALACE PS/LORD PRESIDENT

THE COUNCIL

SD/PLANNING STAFF

/FUSD

D/ED/PUSD

PES.E. (MR TALKER)

LEGAL ADVISER (SIR IAN SINCLAIR

PS

PS/LADY YOUNG

PS/ME. LUCE

PS/PUS

SER ♬ BULLARD

SIR W HARDING

TR WILSON

LR WRIGHT STR C TICKNELL

3

PS/HOME SECRETARY

PS/CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

PS/LORD PRIVY SEAL

PS/SECRETARY FOR TRADE & INDUSTRY

COPIES TO: (VIA ADR)

MR ROBERTS A LAS D

MR BURROWS

LEGAL ADVS

VR COLES NO 10 DOWNING ST.

MR MARTIN ASSESSMENT STAFF CABINET OFFICE

MR GOODALI. CABINET OFFICE

MR. BRENNAN CABINET OFFICE

PS/S OF S FOR DEFENCE D PS/ATTORNEY GENERAL

SIR ? CRADOCK BY K195

IR P CRADOCK NO 10 DOWNING STREET

RESTRICTEDER