TNAG-2176-FCO40-3113-Hong-Kong-Bill-of-Rights-1990 — Page 63

1

Sir,

DRAFT

Speech by The Honourable The Chief Secretary,

Sir David Ford, KBE, LVO, JP

in the Legislative Council on 25 July 1990

HONG KONG BILL OF RIGHTS BILL 1990

1.

I

move that the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Bill

1990 be read a second time.

2.

In October last year, Sir, you stated that the

Government intended to enact a Bill of Rights to give

effect in domestic law to the relevant provisions of the

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

(ICCPR) as applied to Hong Kong. A White Bill was

published for public discussion on 6 March 1990. During

the consultation on the White Bill which ended the

beginning of June, we received 800 written

submissions

from groups and individuals. We also discussed the White

Bill with 13 District Boards and the Heung Yee Kuk. The

overwhelming majority of these submissions are in support

of the enactment of a Bill of Rights as a further measure

to protect human rights in Hong Kong.