TNAG-2764-FCO40-3981-UK-Hong-Kong-Scholarship-Scheme-donation-to-the-UK-Governme-1993 — Page 47

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Ms Barrett

Legal Advisers

SK TANG BEQUEST

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DESK OFFICER

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Action Taken

We spoke. Enclosed as requested are copies of the past advice offered by Legal Advisers on the S K Tang Bequest. I also attach a copy of the covering letter from the Treasury Solicitor explaining the Solictor General's thoughts on the Opinion of Counsel (copy attached to my minute to Ms Brooks of 11 March).

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We are satisfied that we have found the correct legal way of proceeding and would not wish to involve you in too much work examining the rather circuitous route it has taken us to get this far. Our main concerns are now procedural ones. Do you see any problems with our intended way forward (my minute to Ms Brooks of 11 March)? I would be particularly grateful for any advice you may have to offer on our next approaches to the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and the British Council. We need above all to agree terms with the ICR before returning to the Treasury Solicitors.

3.

As I said on the phone, we will incur charges for the use of the Treasury Solicitor. We have already had one Opinion of Counsel commissioned by Mr Lawton of the Treasury Solicitor and this has cost £600 (not yet paid). I have informally asked Mr Lawton for a rough estimate of the total expenses we are likely to incur. He gave a back of the envelope figure of £2,000 but this is by no means assured to be the maximum cost. Do you know of any budget in Legal Advisers which could absorb these costs?

RSI Love

R S Moore

Hong Kong Department 25 March 1993

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