TNAG-2333-FCO40-3394-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Hong-Kong-Court-of-Final-Appeal-Hong-Ko-1991 — Page 122

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LORD

PRESIDENT

OF THE

COUNCIL

HKC370/8

RECE

29 JAN 1991

TRY

Dongles

tebor to

PRIVY COUNCIL OFFICE

WHITEHALL. LONDON SW1A 2AT

foordmate ang melebary acti

#ко

LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMME 1991/92

15/45

vi Javy

iw. Beamishk

iw. Heman

in Special risen Legal Advise vs

Healey : Sririis

pa

EMD

HRD

18 January 1991

CarTAL

mill

Cour of Final Appeal: H'k' (Appeals) Bill RM 24/1.

The Queen's Speeches and Future Legislation Committee (FLG) met earlier this week to consider the bids made by colleagues for legislation in the 1991/92 session of Parliament. I am writing to let you know the general approach the Committee have adopted and our provisional conclusions on your bids.

Colleagues were asked to submit bids on two planning assumptions about the 1991/92 session: that it would be the fifth session of the present Parliament, and therefore short; and that it would be the first session of a new Parliament, and therefore of broadly normal length. In view of the obvious uncertainties of the first session, the Committee have concentrated for the time being on proposals for a fifth session, while at the same time seeking to identify items which would not be included in such a programme but which would be appropriate for the first session programme.

Experience has shown that the clearance of policy and the drafting of bills must be done much earlier than has been the case in recent years. FLG have advanced the timetable for considering bids this year, and we intend to impose a strict timetable on Departments with successful bids, requiring policy clearance by the end of March 1991, and the submission of instructions to Counsel by the end of May. Failure to meet this programme will result in a bill losing its provisional place in the programme.

If the 1991/92 session turns out to be the first session of a new Parliament, all provisional places will need to be reviewed, and some dropped in favour of more attractive candidates which are likely to emerge for a first session,

first session, resulting from manifesto commitments.

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