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9. FCO Ministers involved will be Foreign Secretary, Mr Luce and myself. [See annex for note of planned Ministerial absences abroad]
Timetable
10.
11.
12.
Propose the following timetable:
(a) Parliamentary Counsel to give written notice of
introduction of Bill tonight (9 January).
(b) First reading tomorrow (Thursday 10 January).
*
(c) Publication at noon on Friday 11 January.
Advantages of this timetable are:
(a) Introduction of Bill before this weekend would allow
second reading in week beginning 21 January, when both Geoffrey Howe and Richard Luce will be in London.
Importance of making rapid progress.
(b) Gives Governor opportunity to brief Unofficial Members of
Executive and Legislative Councils on content of Bill just before publication on Friday. Important to alleviate concerns of Unofficials and to lessen the risk that they
will intervene with public comment and lobbying of MPs during the passage of the Bill. Briefing will of course be confidential and take place only a few hours before publication of the Bill. Unofficials will be strongly
warned against any leak of the Bill's contents. They
would not see a text until after publication in London.
sors.
Geoffrey Howe and Richard Luce will be away this week. Hope a
Whip can signal assent at first Reading.
Backers
13.
Following Ministers have agreed to act as backers of Bill:
Prime Minister
Foreign Secretary
Home Secretary
Chancellor of the Exchequer
Lord Privy Seal
Attorney General
Mr Luce
124 Or
09.30 of the Chief Whip would
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