TNAG-1413-FCO40-1889-Future-of-Hong-Kong-annual-report-to-Parliament-on-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 325

OCMIAN 7339

CONFIDENTIAL

OO HOKON

FM FCOLN TO HOKON

090900Z SEP

GRS 469

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 1292

OF 090900Z SEPTEMBER 85

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

FROM HKD

CONFIDENTIAL

7339

-

1

HKK

040/70

RECEIVEU) » REGISTRY

INDEX

1 0 SEP 1985

FFICER

PA

REGISTRY

Action Taken

N

YOUR TELNO 1737 (NOT TO PEKING)

HONG KONG AGREEMENT: ANNUAL REPORT TO PARLIAMENT

1.

WE HAVE CONSULTED THE SECRETARY OF STATE ABOUT THE

PROPOSED FORMAT FOR THE ANNUAL REPORT TO PARLIAMENT SET OUT IN

ALAN SCOTT'S LETTER OF 28 JUNE. HE IS CONCERNED THAT IF WE

FOLLOW THESE PROPOSALS WE WILL END UP WITH A LONG REPORT (ABOUT 150 PAGES), MADE UP LARGELY OF PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED MATERIAL. WOULD RUN A SERIOUS RISK OF PARLIAMENTARY CRITICISM FOR SERVING

UP AN INDIGESTIBLE, AND IN SOME CASES OUT OF DATE COLLECTION OF

ALREADY AVAILABLE DOCUMENTS. MINISTERS COULD BE CRITICISED FOR

NOT TAKING THE TROUBLE TO REPORT PERSONALLY TO PARLIAMENT.

2.

WE

IN ORDER TO AVOID THIS CRITICISM, THE SECRETARY OF STATE

WOULD PREFER TO

EXPAND THE INTRODUCTION AND TO MAKE IT INTO THE MAIN BODY OF THE

REPORT. THIS COULD BE ABOUT 15 TO 20 PAGES LONG AND INCLUDE A

GENERAL SUMMARY OF THE EVENTS OF THE YEAR. IT MIGHT TAKE THE

FOLLOWING FORM:

(A)

(B)

INTRODUCTION TO THE REPORT STATING ITS PURPOSE (TO INFORM PARLIAMENT) AND A DESCRIPTION OF ITS PARTS:

A GENERAL SUMMARY OF THE EVENTS OF THE YEAR, BEGINNING

1

CONFIDENTIAL

I WITH

+