TNAG-1391-FCO40-1863-Future-of-Hong-Kong-briefing-for-meetings-and-visits-1985 — Page 42

BACKGROUND

CONFIDENTIAL

1.

Council

(Powers and Privileges) Bill was

Bill attached).

It

The Legislative

introduced into LEGCO on 15 May (copy of

provides inter alia for freedom of speech and debate in the Council,

for immunity from legal proceedings in respect of Council debates or

reports, and for freedom from arrest for either civil debt or а

criminal offence while attending the Council. It regulates the

conduct of strangers in and around the Council chamber and provides

for the calling of witnesses to attend before the Council and its

committees.

2. The Hong Kong Journalists Association has voiced

voiced concern over

certain sections of the Bill to the LEGCO ad hoc group studying the

Bill. They made the following points:

a)

That the sections of the Bill dealing with defamatory and

unauthorised publications were already covered by the Hong

Hong Kong

defamation ordinance. They were afraid that the further provisilons

in the Bill would be us ed to stifle medi a comment on

activities.

LEGCO

b) That the section dealing with the entry of strangers was already covered by LEGCO Standing Orders and was unnecessary.

c)

That the section preventing acts of "intentional disrespect"

would be hard to define and could be used to limit what could be

published.

d) That it was ironic that the Council should be granted freedom of

speech while the same freedom was being denied to the media.

e) The ad hoc group said in reply that they would consider the

Association's views and discuss them with the Hong Kong Government.

UMELCO issued a press release recording this meeting

meeting with the

Association on 3 June (copy attached).

3.

The Hong Kong Government is

amendments to the Bill at the moment.

considering these and other

They do not plan to publicise

CONFIDENTIAL