TNAG-1837-FCO40-2612-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 70

7.

A first draft of the Basic Law was published in April 1988, and is at present being revised following an elaborate process of

public consultation in Hong Kong, conducted by the BLCC on behalf of

the BLDC. It is expected that the revised draft will be submitted

to the National People's Congress in March before being published

for a second round of public consultation. It is the intention of

the Chinese Government that the Basic Law, having undergone further revision, will be submitted to the National People's Congress for

promulgation in 1990 and will come into effect on 1 July 1997.

8.

Although the British Government play no role in the drafting

of the Basic Law, they have the right to satisfy themselves that its provisions properly reflect the terms of the Joint Declaration.

9.

During debates on the Hong Kong Bill in February 1985

Ministers announced that the Government would produce an annual report on Hong Kong and lay it before Parliament. Each report would include a general account of developments in the territory during the preceding year. Three such reports have so far been produced. A fourth, recording developments in 1988, will be laid before

Parliament in the near future.

16 January 1989

Foreign and Commonwealth Office