DRAFT LETTER
CONFIDENTIAL
RESSEE'S REFERENCE
ΤΟ
The Rt Hon John Biffen Esq MP
Lord Privy Seal
House of Commons
LONDON SW1A OAA
HAK 040/28
3 NOV 1985
(FULL POSTAL ADDRESS)
INDEX
S 536
H.O. EST. 112
FILE NUMBER ..NTY/85...1/387/6.
ENCLOSURES
COPIES TO BE SENT TO
Prime Minister
Members of OD(K)
John Wakeham MP
Viscount Whitelaw
Lord Denham
Sir Robert Armstrong
(FULL ADDRESSES, IF NECESSARY)
LETTER DRAFTED FOR SIGNATURE BY ....Home..Secretary.................
(NAME OF SIGNATORY)
HONG KONG: WHITE PAPER ON THE NATIONALITY PROVISIONS OF THE
HONG KONG ACT 1981
292
I am writing about the arrangements which I hope can be made for
short debates in both Houses before Christmas on the proposals in
the White Paper on Hong Kong which was published on 17 October
(Cmnd 9637).
As I said in my minute to the Prime Minister of 30 September, we are committed to having preliminary debates on the White Paper and to consider any points which are made in advance of laying formally the draft Order in Council under the affirmative resolution procedure place.
Hir is expecty That Order needs to have been made by next April. I understand that
Lesustabe Lourd the Executive Coune of Hong Kong propose to debate the White Paper
Hamishs the and Tafeln orow will be debated in on 4 December, There would be advantage in following that up before
the Christmas-
اقي
•
Dew
We do not want to leave time for any uncertainty
to build up in Hong Kong and we need to show we are leaving sufficient time to consider the points made in Parliament before laying the Order. On a matter like this, it would be much preferable to debate it first in the Commons. All this points to debates in the latter half of the week of 9 December or early the following week.
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CONFIDENTIAL
34366 9/84 XLYQ381
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