TNAG-1331-FCO40-1758-Future-of-Hong-Kong-test-of-the-acceptability-of-the-Joint-D-1984 — Page 304

2.21

LETTERS FROM INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAME FROM ALL SECTIONS OF THE COMMUNITY INCLUDING PROFESSIONALS, ACADEMICS, HOUSEWIVES, STUDENTS AND FACTORY WORKERS. MANY OF THEM WERE WRITTEN IN GREAT DETAIL AND CONTAINED THOUGHTFULLY EXPRESSED VIEWS ON EVERY ASPECT OF THE DRAFT AGREEMENT. THE OFFICE RECEIVED 1,815 (4) LETTERS FROM THIS SOURCE. AS SUGGESTED IN SOME NEWSPAPERS (5) PEOPLE WOULD NOT WRITE IN IF THEY FOUND THE DRAFT AGREEMENT ACCEPTABLE: NOR WOULD THEY FIND IT NECESSARY TO WRITE IN IF THEIR VIEWS HAD ALREADY BEEN REFLECTED IN THE MEDIA OR BE THE ORGANIZATIONS OR GROUPS TO WHICH THEY BELONGED OR HAD ACCESS. STATEMENTS THAT THE DRAFT AGREEMENT COULD NOT BE ALTERED WERE ALSO DESCRIBED AS A

DISINCENTIVE TO WRITTEN RESPONSE.

2.22 THERE WERE SUGGESTIONS THAT FEAR OF DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL PARTICULARS WAS A DETERRENT FACTOR. THE VOLUME AND CONTENT OF RESPONSE FROM INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC BEFORE AND AFTER THE GOVERNMENT'S ANNOUNCEMENT THAT INDIVIDUAL LETTERS WOULD BE DESTROYED SHOWED NO CHANGE. IT IS, THEREFORE, NOT POSSIBLE TO DRAW ANY MEANINGFUL CONCLUSION ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CONFIDENTIALITY AS A DETERRENT FACTOR.

(4)

OF THIS NUMBER 181 WERE ANONYMOUS AND 179

WERE EITHER IRRELEVANT OR DUPLICATE

(5)

HONG KONG DAILY NEWS 31.10.84

WAH KIU YAT PO 4 AND 7.11.84

(E) OPINION SURVEYS

2.23

THE OFFICE WAS AWARE OF 23 OPINION SURVEYS. THE METHODOLOGY USED VARIED FROM HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS, TELEPHONE SURVEYS, SELF-ADMINISTERED QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEYS TO STREET POLLS. THE SAMPLE SIZE RANGED FROM 56 TO 6,124, AND ABOUT 25,000 PEOPLE WERE INTERVIEWED. THE TREND OF OPINION FROM THESE SURVEYS IS ULLUSTRATED IN APPENDIX VIII.

SUMMARY

2.24

IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CLASSIFICATIONS BY MAIN SOURCE, THE PATTERN OF RESPONSE TO THE DRAFT AGREEMENT DURING THE CONSULTATION PERIOD IS INDICATED BELOW :-

(GRAPH ALREADY PASSED TO LONDON L

SECRET-14-

12.251