TNAG-2283-FCO40-3283-Attorney-General-for-Hong-Kong-and-the-Hong-Kong-Legal-Depar-1991 — Page 7

THE RT. HON. DAVID HOWELL, M.P.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

LONDON SWIA OAA

D.

STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL

Dear Douglas,

Important,

21st May 1990

Advice please

विभज

22/5

I have two constituents, Mr. and Mrs R.J. Harris, of 52, London Road, Guildford. Their son is called Christopher Harris, who is a Barrister in the Legal Department (The Attorney General's Chambers) in Hong Kong.

Mrs Harris became the subject of a police investigation October 1988 and I believe that "the Christopher Harris affair" has become a well publicised, somewhat notorious, case in Hong Kong.

I have read a good deal of background to this case, including the enclosed summary of events by Mr. Harris junior himself.

I have to say that I find much of what I have read gives me enormous cause for concern about the management of legal affairs in Hong Kong.

At this stage, I think all I can do is ask for your assurance that you and your office are fully aware of the very serious allegations and counter-allegations that are being exchanged and to which both Christopher Harris memorandum and the attached newspaper cutting refer.

the

Mr. and Mrs Harris' S overwhelming concern is that the outcome of their son's appeal is going to

to be "pre-determined" and excessively influenced by various cross currents, media-generated rumours and personality issues, which seem to dominate the Hong Kong legal administration at present.

It seems particularly unfortunate that the decisive opinion that Mr. Harris junior should be prosecuted should have emanated from someone who was shortly afterwards arrested on corruption charges and I understand has since absconded from Hong Kong.

I would be very grateful for your confidential comments on the situation in the legal department in Hong Kong, following this arrest. I think there is a strong case for very careful examination of what is going on in this whole area.

Yours ever,

The Rt. Hon. Douglas Hurd, CBE, MP,

Foreign Secretary,

Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Whitehall,

London, SW1A 2AH.

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