IN CONFIDENCE
- 2 ·
t
(a)
(b)
4 ex-officio members (the Chief Secretary, the Financial Secretary, the Attorney-General, and the Secretary for Home Affairs);
and
a further 18 Official members and 27 Unofficial members
nominated by the Governor.
The Governor has not gone against the views of Legco for many years. In the unlikely event that he should need to do so, he can appoint,
on instructions from the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary, extra Official members to the Council. Legco, through its Financial Committee,
authorises public expenditure in Hong Kong.
1.6 The Unofficial members of Exco and Legco form an organisation, known
as UMELCO, which has its own office and staff and which acts as a forum
for discussing matters of current concern. While Exco members are
obliged to regard all Council business as confidential, it is a function
of Legco members to seek and react to public opinion on proposed legis-
lation, and the UMELCO office provides them with one means of doing this.
UMELCO also receives and investigates complaints from the public of
maladministration by the civil service.
1.7 The only body participating in the Government of Hong Kong that
consists entirely of members of the public is the Urban Council (Urbço).
Half of its 24 members are elected (by a limited franchise, subject
primarily to educational and property qualifications, though this will
soon be broadened); the remainder are appointed by the Governor from
among prominent members of the community.
1.8 Urbco's responsibilities are limited to the built-up areas of
Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Kowloon (where, altogether, about
three-quarters of the population live). Its main duties are public
hygiene, the control and licensing of markets, and the provision and
maintenance of recreational and cultural facilities.
1.9
There are few organised political groups in Hong Kong. Two small,
quasi-political organisations contest Urbco elections, but they are
really no more than pressure groups and their membership is limited to
a small number of mainly middle-class Chinese and expatriates of no
particular ideological background.
IN CONFIDENCE
/1.10
Page 225Page 226