TNAG-1857-FCO40-2632-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-memoranda-and-minutes-of-me-1989 — Page 65

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE

12 July 1989 香港立法局———————————一九八九年七月十二日

COUNCIL

13

CHIEF SECRETARY: Sir, the Prime Minister, as indeed any minister of the Crown, is always welcome to visit Hong Kong and does not need a specific invitation to do so.

MRS. CHOW: Given that no specific invitation is necessary, is the Government suggesting, by the Chief Secretary's answer to my original question, that there is no way in which it can take the initiative to convey to the Prime Minister our sentiment that a visit by her at this time to Hong Kong is highly desirable, and therefore prompt her to include Hong Kong in her itinerary?

CHIEF SECRETARY: Sir, I think Mrs. CHOW is seeking to enlighten the Legislative Council on what our advice might be to Ministers at this time. I am sorry to sound like a line from "Yes, Minister", but it is a well-established tradition that the advice of officials to Ministers is not made public. However, Sir, the inference of Mrs. CHOW's question is that a visit would be welcome at this time and I will certainly undertake to convey that sentiment to the Prime Minister.

MRS. LAM: Sir, what is the procedure for inviting the Prime Minister to visit Hong Kong?

CHIEF SECRETARY: Sir, as I made it clear in my original answer, there is no requirement to invite the Prime Minister to Hong Kong. If any Minister of the Crown wishes to come here, then he or she is always welcome to do so.

MRS. FAN: Sir, I am not asking the Chief Secretary to reveal the advice that he may or may not give to the Prime Minister, but may I ask whether the Chief Secretary would consider it useful for the Prime Minister to come to Hong Kong and see for herself, at first hand, the situation in Hong Kong?

CHIEF SECRETARY: I am having a sort of "Yes, Minister" afternoon, Sir. I must refer Mrs. FAN to Standing Order 18(1)(h). She seems to be asking me for an opinion, which I think is out of order.