TNAG-1838-FCO40-2613-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 22

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FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 427

OF 15133OZ FEBRUARY 89

INFO PRIORITY PEKING, BTC HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM PAUL, HKD PERSONAL BTC HONG KONG MR HOLLOWAY

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MY TELNO 403 AND YOUR TELNO 517: FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

ENQUIRY INTO HONG KONG.

1.

WE HAVE NOW RECEIVED THE CLERK'S FORMAL LETTER CONFIRMING THAT OUR INITIAL MEMORANDUM IS REQUIRED BY 1 MARCH AND INVITING THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO GIVE FORMAL EVIDENCE ON 22 MARCH. A COPY OF THE LETTER AND THE LATEST PRESS RELEASE (WHICH HAS BEEN CLEARED WITH THE CHINESE EMBASSY) IS BEING FAXED TO YOU AND PEKING. WE WILL CERTAINLY ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO COMMENT ON THE INITIAL MEMORANDUM IN DRAFT.

2. AT THEIR MEETING ON 15 FEBRUARY, THE FAC DECIDED THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO TAKE FORMAL PUBLIC EVIDENCE IN HONG KONG. ACCORDING TO THE CLERK, THAT THE COMMITTEE ARE CONCERNED TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE SEEN TO BE CONDUCTING THE ENQUIRY PROPERLY AND ARE NOT PERCEIVED AS WORKING PURELY BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. THE COMMITTEE HAVE NOT YET DISCUSSED WHO THEY SHOULD SEE IN HONG KONG. NO DECISION IS LIKELY TO BE TAKEN ABOUT YOUR OWN INVOLVEMENT UNTIL AFTER YOUR MEETING WITH THE COMMITTEE ON

23 FEBRUARY.

3. THE CLERK CONFIRMED THAT THE COMMITTEE WOULD PREFER TO USE OFFICIAL PREMISES FOR THE FORMAL HEARINGS AND NOTED YOUR SUGGESTION THAT THE FORMER LEGCO CHAMBER WOULD BE A SUITABLE VENUE.

4. THE CLERK ALSO DREW ATTENTION TO A POTENTIAL PROBLEM RELATED TO BROADCASTING OF THE COMMITTEE'S OPEN HEARINGS IN HONG KONG. UNDER THE CURRENT RULES LAID DOWN BY THE HOUSE OF COMMONS SOUND ~BROADCASTING COMMITTEE, ONLY THE BBC IS ALLOWED TO RECORD

PROCEEDINGS OF SELECT COMMITTEES IN PUBLIC SESSION AND THOSE RECORDINGS CAN ONLY BE TRANSMITTED BY OTHER BROADCASTING AUTHORITIES. THE CLERK ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS MIGHT CAUSE PROBLEMS WITH COMMERCIAL RADIO STATIONS GIVEN THE INTENSE MEDIA INTEREST EXPECTED IN HONG KONG. HE SAID THAT THE COMMITTEE WOULD LOOK INTO THE POSSIBILITY OF GETTING THE RULES

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