TNAG-1365-FCO40-1811-Hong-Kong-Legislative-Council-(Powers-and-Privileges)-Bill-1-1985 — Page 25

CO1AIA

HKK 011/12

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

-

- 5 JUL 1985

REGISTRY

CONFIDENTIAL

48

INTEX

PA

motion Taken

FROM: W G EHRMAN,

HK D

DATE: 21 June 1985

Private Secretary

cc: PS/Mr Luce

Dr Wilson

A

Mr Bickford, Legal Advisers

HONG KONG: LEGCO (POWERS AND PRIVILEGES) BILL 1985

1.

The Secretary of State will recall Mr Galsworthy's submission of

14 June on the Legislative Council (Powers and Privileges) Bill.

2.

LEGCO unofficials were expected to decide today (but we await confirmation) that the Bill should proceed (as envisaged in paragraph 6 of the submission)

to its Committee stage and third

reading at the next LEGCO meeting on 26 June. The Governor

envisages that the Bill will pass on 26 June and then receive his

assent.

B

3. In the light of further criticism in Hong Kong of the amended

version of the Bill, the Hong Kong Government will make some

additional slight amendments on 26 June. These remove the only remaining penalty for "insulting" LEGCO members on their way to the Chamber, which could well have come in for criticism.

4.

Hong Kong advise that while media interest has subsided

extent the Bill remains a matter of considerable sensitivity and

that there are numerous calls for it to be delayed until the

the new

legislature assembles in the autumn or even until 1987 when the Constitutional review is promised.

5.

There will therefore be further criticism, which may reach the However since the calls to delay the legislation are based on the thesis that this non-elected legislature is not competent to pass such legislation, it is difficult to see how either the Hong

UK.