CONFIDENTIAL
23
161003 MDLOAN 0512
HKC011/2
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TELNO 1937
OF 19114OZ OCTOBER 90
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
RECEIVE
FRY
23 OCT 1990
DESK OFFICER
REGISTRY
INDEX
PA
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM PAUL, HKD
Action Taken
YOUR TELNO 2843: ANNUAL REPORT ON HONG KONG
1.
I HAVE BEEN GIVING SOME THOUGHT TO WHETHER IT MIGHT BE
POSSIBLE TO IMPROVE THE FORMAT OF THE ANNUAL REPORT (AND TO SAVE A GREAT INVESTMENT OF MAN HOURS, BOTH IN HONG KONG AND LONDON).
2.
AS YOU WILL RECALL, MINISTERS AGREED IN DECEMBER 1984 TO PRODUCE AN ANNUAL REPORT ON HONG KONG TO PARLIAMENT, IN RESPONSE TO PRESSURE FROM MR DENIS HEALEY (THEN THE OPPOSITION SPOKESMAN FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS) DURING A DEBATE ON THE JOINT DECLARATION. THE IDEA APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN THAT, BY FOCUSSING THE ATTENTION OF PARLIAMENT ON HONG KONG, IT WOULD HELP TO REASSURE THE PEOPLE OF THE TERRITORY ABOUT THE UK'S COMMITMENT TO SAFEGUARD THEIR FUTURE. THE IDEA RECEIVED BROAD SUPPORT, INCLUDING THAT OF MR DAVID HOWELL AND SIR PETER BLAKER.
3
FIVE REPORTS FOR THE YEARS 1985-1989 HAVE NOW BEEN DULY PRODUCED. NONE HAS OCCASIONED A DEBATE, AND THERE IS GOOD REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE FOR THE MOST PART REMAINED UNREAD BOTH IN LONDON AND IN HONG KONG. THEY ARE FRANKLY DULL. MOST OF THE MATERIAL THEY CONTAIN CAN BE FOUND ELSEWHERE IN MORE READABLE FORM, EG IN YOUR ANNUAL ADDRESS TO LEGCO, OR IN THE HONG KONG HANDBOOK. YOU WILL RECALL THAT LAST YEAR, IN AN EFFORT TO SPICE IT UP A LITTLE, WE ADDED A FOREWORD BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
4. I WONDER WHETHER THIS ANNUAL EXERCISE ANY LONGER SERVES THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH IT WAS ORIGINALLY CONCEIVED IN 1984, IE TO KEEP THE HOUSE INFORMED OF IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS RELATING TO HONG KONG AND TO PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE. AS I SEE IT, THE OPTIONS ARE:
(I) TO CEASE PRODUCTION OF THIS REPORT ON THE GROUNDS (A)
THAT ITS PURPOSE HAS IN THE EVENT BEEN BETTER MET BY THE VARIOUS
RECENT DEBATES ON HONG KONG WHICH HAVE DEALT WITH SPECIFIC
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