TNAG-2319-FCO40-3363-Petitions-from-members-of-the-public-regarding-Hong-Kong-1991 — Page 10

POLITICAL

VOLUME 4 PART 1

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9.1 9.3

9.1

9.2

9.2.1

9.2.2

CHAPTER 9

PETITIONS

RIGHT OF PETITION FROM DEPENDENT TERRITORIES (DTs)

Any person in a DT has a right to petition. The Queen, the Prime Minister or the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. The petition is sent unsealed through the Officer Administering the Government (OAG) of the Territory. Petitions addressed to The Queen or The Queen in Council (or a Minister other than the Secretary of State in the United Kingdom, see para 9.4.1) should similarly be sent to the OAG for transmission to the Secretary of State. (See Colonial Regulations 168-173.)

DEFINITIONS

A petition is any document which states that it is a 'petition' or requests the intervention of The Queen, the Government, the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State or the OAG, in a matter within the powers of that authority. A petition may be on any matter, public or private.

Neither a 'representation' (see Colonial Regulation 168) nor a 'Memorial' (see Colonial Regulation 169) is a 'petition' (although either may later become a petition in one of the forms described in this Chapter). They should be dealt with as normal correspondence.

'Person in a DT includes:

Any person (including aliens) actually resident in a DT.

Any person who is a belonger' of a DT under the provision of the Immigration Ordinance even if resident elsewhere.

9.2.3

(a)

(b)

(c)

Any officer in the service of the Government of a DT, whether resident or on leave elsewhere at the time of the petition.

(d)

(e)

Any officer retired from the service of the Government of a DT or any person formerly employed as an officer on contract terms if the petition relates to his treatment by the Government of a past or present DT in a personal matter.

A Company, Association etc established in a DT.

TYPES OF PETITIONS

9.3

The different types of petitions are:

(a)

Petitions to The Queen (para 9.5).

(b)

Petitions to other members of the Royal Family (para 9.6).

(c)

Petitions sent direct to the Prime Minister (para 9.7).

(d)

Petitions sent direct to the Secretary of State (para 9.8).

(e)

(1)

흐흐

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(g)

Petitions from lunatics (para 9.9).

Petitions to the United Nations (para 9.10).

Petitions requesting the Prerogative of Mercy (Chapter 12).

MARCH 1990

9.1

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