TNAG-1365-FCO40-1811-Hong-Kong-Legislative-Council-(Powers-and-Privileges)-Bill-1-1985 — Page 19

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DESKBY 250100Z

FM FCO 241420Z JUN 85

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 888 OF 24 JUNE

(40) +3

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

2 5 JUN 1985

DESK OFFICER

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YOUR TELNOS. 1244-1247, 1251 AND 1257: LEGCO (POWERS AND PRIVILEG BILL 1985

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JOHN MORRIS QC, MP CALLED ON MR LUCE AT NOON TODAY TO DISCUSS

THE OBJECTIONS OF THE HONG KONG BAR ASSOCIATION, LAW SOCIETY AND JUSTICE TO THE AMENDED BILL PUBLISHED ON 14 JUNE.

2. MR MORRIS EXPRESSED HIS CONCERN AT THE SPEED

WITH WHICH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND UMELCO WERE NOW PUSHING AHEAD WITH THE AMENDED BILL. HE FELT THAT IN VIEW OF THE

SUBSTANTIAL RESERVATIONS THAT HAD BEEN EXPRESSED BY INDIVIDUAL GROUPS (INCLUDING 2 DISTRICT BOARDS) ON SOME OF THE PROVISIONS, MORE TIME SHOULD NOW BE GIVEN FOR THE BILL TO BE DISCUSSED PUBLICLY BEFORE IT REACHED THE COMMITTEE STAGE IN LEGCO. MR MORRIS EXPRESSED PARTICULAR CONCERN ABOUT THE REFERENCE TO

'ADMINISTRATIVE PURPOSES' IN CLAUSE 8(3) AND 'INSULTS' IN CLAUSE

19(A).

3. IN REPLY MR LUCE EXPLAINED THE BACKGROUND TO THE BILL, AND

THE NEED FOR SUCH A MEASURE TO BE ENACTED BEFORE THE ELECTIONS.

HE INFORMED MR MORRIS THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT INTENDED TO

AMEND CLAUSE 19(A) AT THE COMMITTEE STAGE TO DELETE REFERENCES TO

'INSULTS'. HE REFERRED ALSO TO THE FORTHCOMING CONSTITUTIONAL

REVIEW IN 1987, WHICH WOULD RE-EXAMINE INTER ALIA THE POSITION OF LEGCO, AND THE ROLE OF THE GOVERNOR AS PRESIDENT OF LEGCO. THIS REVIEW SHOULD THUS BE ABLE TO COVER MANY OF THE QUESTIONS RAISED BY THE 3 LEGAL BODIES AT THE END OF THEIR TELEX TO MR MORRIS. 4. MR MORRIS SEEMED REASSURED BY THE AMENDMENT TO CLAUSE 19(A), AND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR FURTHER REVIEW IN 2 YEARS' TIME. NEVERTHELESS MR LUCE UNDERTOOK TO REFLECT TO YOU THE CONCERN OF

THE SHADOW ATTORNEY-GENERAL ABOUT THOSE OTHER PROVISIONS ON WHICH

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