§ Mr. Thorntonasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) on how many occasions private telephone lines in the Colony of Hong Kong were tapped by the Hong Kong police in 1960; how many recordings of telephone conversations were made by this means; and who is responsible for the custody of these recordings;
(2) by what authority the Hong Kong Telephone Company makes the technical arrangements for the tapping of private 72W telephone lines; for how long they have been so employed; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Iain Macleod:I am advised that the authority under which the Governor of Hong Kong may require the Hong Kong Telephone Company to intercept telephone messages is contained in Section 4 of the Telecommunications Ordinance of 1936. I understand that the arrangements made with the company, which is a public company operating under a franchise granted by the Hong Kong Government, are of long standing.
73WIt would not be in the public interest to disclose details about the use of the authority.