TNAG-2416-FCO40-3518-Hong-Kong-cemeteries-1992 — Page 3

30 January 1992

Tim Rathbone Esq MP

House of Commons

London

SWLA OAA

Sea

Tim,

HKA 225/1

Foreign & Commonwealth

Office

London SWIA 2AH

From The Minister of State

со

On 31/1

Misc

Mr Stone Joandithames

p.a.

броже

Williams

Thank

you

31

Thank you for your letter of 16 January, enclosing one from your constituent, Mr Roger Sparkes of Milton Street, near Alfriston.

The Joint Declaration between Great Britain and China on the future of Hong Kong does not specifically mention any cemeteries. But we have absolutely no reason to believe that the current policies will be changed.

The Hong Kong Cemetery in Happy Valley lies on Crown land, allocated for the purposes of a cemetery. The Authority responsible for the land is the Director of Urban Services in the Hong Kong Government. For burials prior to 1 December 1977, plots in the Hong Kong Cemetery were allocated in perpetuity, save in the case of an overriding need for the land for a public purpose. This is a matter of policy not law. The Director of Urban Services does not envisage any change in this policy post 1997.

The

The Urban Services Department have offered to visit the relevant plots during their next inspection of the Cemetery, should Mr Sparkes so wish, and to write to him directly. Department will also ensure that Mr Sparkes is informed well in advance in the highly unlikely event that any disturbance to the plots may be envisaged.

I hope that this will be of some comfort to Mrs Morris.

You fre

Malch

THE EARL OF CAITHNESS