§ 31. Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when and by whom the draft agreement on Hong Kong will be signed.
§ Mr. LuceThe House will have an opportunity to debate the draft agreement at the beginning of December, and will wish to take into account the reports of the assessment office in Hong Kong and the independent monitoring team. If the agreement is acceptable to Parliament, it will be signed in Peking before the end of the year. Arrangements for the signature have not yet been finalised, but will be announced in due course.
§ 45. Mr. Ashdownasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps 252W to introduce legislation similar to that which applies in Britain to rehabilitate those found guilty of minor crimes in Hong Kong.
§ Mr. LuceThis is a matter for the Hong Kong Government, who intend to issue by the end of 1984 a consultative paper for public discussion relating to the introduction of a possible "spent conviction" scheme in Hong Kong.