CO_1030_1459_HONG_KONG_CONSTITUTIONAL_DEVELOPMENT_1963_1965 — Page 304

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4531

17.

Do you Page zest the Suggestion al-X ou page 2 revent you should talk to NOTES FOR DEBATE ON THE QUEEN'S SPEECH Mr. Bottomley

Mr. W. S. Saa

Mr. Bottinen didat raise H.K.!

Constitutional Development.

FRIDAY, 15TH NOVELBER, 1963

HONG KONG

tó

before thre debate.

Dry

·14/1

It is understood that Mr Bottomley will raise the first two

natters noted below. (The Hong Kong branch of the Commonwealth

Parliamentary Association planned to invite Mr Bottomley to visit the

Colony during the summer recess, but a visit has not taken place.

Mr Healey did, however, respond to a similar invitation - see paragraph 7

below.)

2.

We understand that Mr Bottomley will urge that there should be

some progress towards responsible goverment (with elected members on

the Legislative Council.) The Legislative Council is a body of official

and nominated unofficial members, with an official majority.

3. In an adjournment debate on Hong Kong on 11th April this year

Ir Bottomley said: "There is a need now for some re-organisation of

local government and certainly for a more representative legislative

council;" but he also said that he was "not for a moment suggesting that

the time had come for a radical change." Fr Fisher replied that "if the

right hon. Gentleman could give me any evidence. that there is a

widespread demand locally for a change, I will certainly have another

look at the question."

4.

•

Mr Bottomley has not pursued the matter.

There is no popular interest in, or desire for, constitutional

advance in Hong Kong.

5. Apart from this, there are strong objections to the

introduction of elected representatives on the Legislative Council or to

any move which would appear to point towards ultimate self-government:

(a) elected representation would import the two Chinas into the

politics of the Colony, threatening internal security [and

possibly even inviting Chinese intervention;