TNAG-1330-FCO40-1757-Future-of-Hong-Kong-test-of-the-acceptability-of-the-Joint-D-1984 — Page 156

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GRS 1100

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 11051OZ OCT 84

TO IMMEDIATE F C O

TELEGRAM NUMBER 3178 OF 11 OCTOBER

MY TELNO 3174: TEST OF ACCEPTABILITY

: ASSESSMENT OFFICE

THE FOLLOWING IS THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE EXCHANGE IN LEGISLATIVE

COUNCIL YESTERDAY AFTERNOON:

BEGINS

MR. K.C. CHAN: WOULD GOVERNMENT STATE WHETHER ANY OF THE SIGNED LETTERS SUBMITTED BY THE PUBLIC TO THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE BE TREATED CONFIDENTIALLY AND DESTROYED AFTER ASSESSMENT?

SHA: I HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE THAT THE NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF INDIVIDUALS WHO WRITE TO THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED OR DISCLOSED, ALTHOUGH THE CONTENTS OF SUCH LETTERS WILL BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN THE ASSESSMENT. IT IS THE COMMISSIONER'S INTENTION TO PUBLISH THE TEXT OF SUBMISSIONS FROM MAIN ORGANISATIONS AS ANNEXES TO THE ASSESSMENT REPORT UNLESS THEY SPECIFICALLY REQUEST OTHERWISE.

THE ASSESSMENT REPORT TOGETHER WITH ALL SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS WILL BE SUBMITTED BY THE GOVERNOR TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE. THE COMMISSIONER OF THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE HAS CONFIRMED THAT NO RECORDS WILL BE KEPT IN THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE.

MP. CHAN: SIR, HAS THE GOVERNMENT ADDED THESE IMPORTANT ASSURANCES

TO THE ADVERTISEMENT OF THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE?

SHA: SIR, WE HAVE ATTEMPTED TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THESE ARRANGE- MENTS BY PUBLICITY OTHER THAN IN THE ADVERTISEMENT.

MISS DUNN : SIR, THE QUESTION WAS WHETHER THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE

WOULD TREAT THESE LETTERS CONFIDENTIALLY AND WOULD THESE LETTERS

SE DESTROYED AFTER ASSESSMENT. I DON'T THINK THE QUESTION HAS

BEEN ANSWERED.

• • *

SHA: 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 PAPERS SUBMITTED TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE WILL FALL TO BE DEALT WITH UNDER SECTION 5 OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT 1959, AS AMENDED BY THE ACT OF 1967, WHICH PROVIDES ADEQUATE SAFEGUARDS AGAINST THE PREMATURE DISCLOSURE

OF INFORMATION RECEIVED IN CONFIDENCE.

MISS DUNNA SIP, IN THAT CASE WILL SPECIFIC STEPS DE TAKEN TO PROTECT THE IDENTITY OF THOSE WHO WRITE TO THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE?

CONFIDENTIAL

/SHA: