TNAG-1377-FCO40-1825-Future-of-Hong-Kong-legislation-Hong-Kong-Bill-1985 — Page 158

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AGREEMENT. THESE CONCERNS HAVE ALSO BEEN FULLY DOCUMENTED IN THE

REPORT OF THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE.

6. WE HAVE HAD A FULL DISCUSSION OF THESE MATTERS. FOR THE MOST

PART, THEY DO NOT DIRECTLY CONCERN THE BILL. IT IS NOT THEREFORE NECESSARY TO GO OVER THIS GROUND AGAIN IN TODAY'S DEBATE. BUT I

CAN ASSURE THE HOUSE THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS THE CONCERNS RAISED

IN THIS HOUSE AND IN HONG KONG FIRMLY IN VIEW. WE SHALL CONTINUE

TO BEAR THEM IN MIND IN OUR FUTURE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CHINESE,

PARTICULARLY IN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP.

7. A NUMBER OF HON MEMBERS SUGGESTED DURING THE DEBATE THAT THE

GOVERNMENT SHOULD MAKE AN ANNUAL REPORT ON HONG KONG TO THE HOUSE

AND THAT THERE SHOULD BE A DEBATE ON IT. I ENTIRELY ACCEPT THAT

THE HOUSE WILL WISH TO BE INFORMED ABOUT DEVELOPMENTS IN HONG

KONG FULLY AND SPEEDILY WHEN THEY OCCUR.

8. I ASSURE HON MEMBERS THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL TAKE CARE TO

REPORT TO THE HOUSE WHENEVER THERE IS ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT TO

REPORT. THERE IS NO RELUCTANCE ON OUR PART. BUT I FRANKLY DOUBT

THE VALUE OF INSTITUTIONALISING AN ANNUAL REPORT AND DEBATE. IT

COULD WELL HAVE THE UNINTENDED EFFECT THAT IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS

WERE NOT PROPERLY DEBATED AS AND WHEN THEY OCCURRED. THIS IS NOT

WHAT WE WANT.

9. SINCE OUR LAST DEBATE MY RT HON FRIEND THE PRIME MINISTER AND

I HAVE, AS I HAVE SAID, VISITED PEKING FOR THE SIGNATURE OF THE

AGREEMENT AND WE WERE ABLE TO RAISE WITH CHINESE LEADERS A NUMBER

OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE TOUCHED ON IN THAT DEBATE THE HOUSE

WILL NOT EXPECT ME TO GO INTO DETAILS OF OUR DISCUSSIONS, BUT

CHINESE LEADERS AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL GAVE US SOLEMN ASSURANCES OF

CHINA'S COMMITMENT TO FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AGREEMENT AND OF

THEIR INTENTION TO CONSULT HONG KONG OPINION ON THE DRAFTING OF

THE BASIC LAW ON A WIDE BASIS.

10.FOLLOWING SIGNATURE, WE AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT BOTH HAVE

TO SATISFY OUR RESPECTIVE CONSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENTS IN ORDER TO

RATIFY THE AGREEMENT. THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE BILL BEFORE US

TODAY IS TO ENABLE HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT TO RATIFY THE

AGREEMENT.

11. THE BILL ITSELF PROVIDES FOR THE TERMINATION OF BRITISH

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