TNAG-1377-FCO40-1825-Future-of-Hong-Kong-legislation-Hong-Kong-Bill-1985 — Page 83

Registog.

This is

your copy,

сору

DD 24010OZ HONG KONG

GRS 263

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY 240100Z

FM FCO 231030Z JAN 85

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

CONFIDENTIAL

1105

C

1

87

HKK 040/2

20 JAN 1985

ISTRY

Taken

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TELEGRAM NUMBER 140 OF 23 JANUARY

PERSONAL FOR ACTING GOVERNOR FROM GALSWORTHY,

HONG KONG BILL: COMMITTEE STAGE

HKD

1.

MINISTERS ARE CONSIDERING WHETHER TO DELAY THE COMMITTEE

STAGE, REPORT STAGE AND THIRD READING OF THE HONG KONG BILL UNTIL THE WEEK BEGINNING 4 FEBRUARY. IN THIS CASE ALL THESE STAGES WOULD PROBABLY TAKE PLACE ON 6 FEBRUARY.

2.

IT IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE THAT NEWS OF THE POSSIBLE POSTPONEMENT DOES NOT LEAK IN HONG KONG BEFORE IT IS ANNOUNCED IN PARLIAMENT. I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL THEREFORE IF KNOWLEDGE OF IT COULD BE RESTRICTED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE FOR THE MOMENT. IT WILL BECOME APPARENT, ASSUMING THAT THE DECISION IS CONFIRMED, THAT THERE HAS BEEN A POSTPONEMENT WHEN THE WEEKLY BUSINESS STATEMENT IS MADE ON THURSDAY 24 JANUARY. WE ARE NOT YET CERTAIN HOWEVER WHETHER A NEW DATE WILL BE ANNOUNCED. 3. YOU SHOULD ALSO KNOW THAT THE OPPOSITION AND MR POWELL HAVE NOW PUT DOWN AMENDMENTS, WHICH IF CARRIED COULD REMOVE THE NATIONALITY PROVISIONS FROM THE BILL ALTOGETHER. SO FAR AS THE OPPOSITION IS CONCERNED, WE THINK THAT THIS IS PROBABLY A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE WHILE THEY WAIT FOR ASSURANCES FROM MINISTERS ON THE PARLIAMENTARY HANDLING OF THE EVENTUAL ORDER IN COUNCIL. MINISTERS ARE CONSIDERING THIS SEPARATELY. AN AMENDMENT HAS ALSO BEEN PUT DOWN BY THE OPPOSITION TO MAKE ORDERS IN COUNCIL UNDER PARAGRAPH 3 OF THE SCHEDULE (ADAPTATION OF LAWS) SUBJECT TO AFFIRMATIVE RATHER THAN NEGATIVE RESOLUTION PROCEDURES.

4.

HOWE

NNNN

DISTRIBUTION

MINIMAL

HKD

CONFIDENTIAL