TNAG-1838-FCO40-2613-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 58

Mr Paul, HKD

CONFIDENTIAL

52

MKB 11/3

ان

Foreign Affairs Committee Enquiry into Hong Kong

The Secretary of State has seen your minute of

27 January, Mr Court's minute of 30 January and

Mr McLaren's minute of 27 January. He entirely agrees with what has been said about the importance and sensitivity of this enquiry. He is convinced that he must give

it as much personal attention as he can. He would like as a first step to have a private word with Mr David Howell (and possibly with Mr Peter Shore and any other Privy Council members of the FAC).

On the assumption that the Committee will take formal evidence in two stages, at the beginning and the end of the enquiry, the Secretary of State believes that it would be right for him to do both rounds of evidence. He would be most grateful if Lord Glenarthur would give the informal briefing as he suggests.

The Secretary of State understands that it is possible for the FAC to take evidence on a private basis ie not for publication. He thinks it is vital for us to establish at the outset that quite a lot of the evidence on Hong Kong

will need to be given on this basis.

The Secretary of State thinks it is crucial that the Governor should give evidence but that this should also be in private perhaps over a drink in Government House. He entirely accepts that it would be very bad for the Governor to give public evidence in Hong Kong.

The Secretary of State would be grateful if Lord Glenarthur would coordinate this handling of the enquiry as he suggests.

1 February 1989

cc:

PS/Lord Glenarthur PS/PUS

Mr Gillmore

Mr McLaren

Mr Edwards, Legal Advs

Mr Millington, FED

Mr Walker, Research Dept

Mr Holt, PRU Mr Teasdale

Re

(R N Peirce)

THIS IS A COPY THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN

CLOSED UNDER

FOI EXEMPTION NO. 27.(!..).

CONFIDENTIAL