TNAG-1330-FCO40-1757-Future-of-Hong-Kong-test-of-the-acceptability-of-the-Joint-D-1984 — Page 142

1

Supplementary to Question No. 2 in the

Legislative Council on 10 October 1984

Mr. CHAN Kam-chuen : Sir, has the Government added these important assurances

the advertisement

-

of the Assessment Office ?

Secretary for Home Affairs : Sir, we have attempted to draw attention to these

arrangements by publicity other than in the advertisement.

-

to

Miss Dunn : Sir, the question was whether the Assessment Office would treat these

letters confidentially and would these letters be destroyed after assessment, I don't

think the question has been answered.

Secretary for Home "ffairs : No, I did not say whether or not the papers...I think

in fact I said the papers will not be destroyed, they will be sent to the Secretary of

State in London, and any paper submitted to the Secretary of State will fall to be

dealt with under section 5 of the Public Records Act 1958, as amended by the Act of

1967, which provides adequate safeguards against the premature disclosure of

information received in confidence.

Miss Dunn : Sir, in that case will specific steps be taken to protect the identity

-

of those who write to the Assessment Office ?

-

Secretary for Home Affairs :

have said. Once the papers are public documents submitted officially to the Secretary

of State, they fall to be dealt with under the Public Records Act of 1958 which as I

said has safeguards against the premature disclosure of information received in

confidence. In other words, there is machinery to ensure through the office of the

Lord Chancellor that premature disclosure of information, by which I mean in 30 years,

is not made.

I don't think I can really add much more to what I

Mr. Peter C. Wong :

-

Is it correct that under the relevant section that the period is

30 years, and that during that 30 years the records will be kept in Hong Kong ?

Secretary for Home Affairs : - No, Sir. I said the papers will be sent with the

assessment report by the Governor to the Secretary of State long before 30 years, in

fact, before the end of this year. Once inLondon, they do not necessarily have to

be exposed after 30 years. The Lord Chancellor may with the approval or at the request

of a minister or of any other person, who appears to him to be primarily concerned, for

the time being perscribed, that as respect any particular class of records, they

should not be disclosed.