TNAG-1845-FCO40-2620-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 112

1989-03-23 13:51 G.1.S

33 P.34

Q:

In the firat question. Sir, about the proces 3

You said it Was an we wonder if you might reaffirm the point You're making to us on that?

localising the law in the space of 1997 enormous task

Governor:

1997

Yes. certainly. The point was

we have before July

make sure that we have got in Hong Kong everything which at the moment depends on UK law, on the UK House Commons or UK Parliament. So all of that would have to be transferred into Hond Kong domestic law and that is quite 1 considerable taek which we have started on but we've got a long way to go.

0:

Created

which

፡

But other than that, there is a lot of law you're a very powerful guy when I read your formal powers. a mixture of monarchy and prime minister at times below that. there is a series of quite major ordinances which 14 paken out of context could actually be pretty powerful weapons. We've bes sent a collection of them by the Hong Kong Bax Association just read one out to you. the Television Ordinance. which gives the Government the Dower 10 pre-cenSOF and prohibic all television programmes, including news and current affairs.

IS this ordinance enforced at present and will it remain on the statute books and afterwards?

Governor:

1

find that like most

For

our

The second part to it I don't know the answer to it at the moment because there are a whole lot of ordinances which we look at the whole time TO see if they should be brought up-to-dete. I think like any place we find that as time goes past. some of our law is no longer appropriate. And in general. parts of the world, we moved in a more liberal direction. Because of Hong Kong's history and some of the imperatives of that we have had some ordinances. some laws which we now think are too restrictive. instance. we moved recently to amend and very greatly liberalise law dealing with rights of publication. We have moved recently altered the law dealing with film censorship. We have a Law Reform Commission which is looking at a whole series of things the whole time. At moment.

powers. it's looking at a number of questions of police Television Ordinance does indeed empower the broadcasting authority rule on what goes out. it lays down in regulations that there shan't be anything broadcast which offends against good taste ΟΙ decency which would mislead

encourage or incite crime. cival disorder or civil disobedience. discredit or bring into disrespect the law

social or

institutions including any religion. and serve the interests of any foreign political party. Sir.

Sir. there are those sort of on those who broadcast. This obligations

like all other laws in Hong Kong are matters which we will keep under review in the coming

years.

alarm. Or

The

eight

David Howell:

Sir David. Hong Kong as you know, is unique SO many ways. is unique. in one sense is that one knows a bit of future

I

in

the

think.

there is going to be transfer of sovereignty in 1997. we in this Committee would like very much like to hear

And

Your